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Active duty troops will begin to miss paychecks by November 15 if the ongoing government shutdown continues, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned on Sunday (October 26). The shutdown, which has already lasted nearly four weeks, has furloughed approximately 750,000 federal workers and left many others working without pay. In an effort to ensure military personnel receive their pay, the Trump administration has been reallocating Pentagon funds and accepted a $130 million donation from a private donor to cover paychecks for about 1.3 million active service members.
Bessent expressed concern over the situation, stating, "I think we'll be able to pay them beginning in November, but by November 15, our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives aren't going to be able to get paid," he warned.
The shutdown is now the second longest in U.S. history, trailing only the 35-day shutdown during President Trump's first term.
The shutdown has resulted from a stalemate between Democrats and Republicans over government funding. Democrats have demanded an extension of health insurance tax credits as a condition for reopening the government, while Republicans have insisted on addressing healthcare issues only after the government reopens. Senate Democrats recently blocked a GOP bill intended to pay active-duty military members and other essential federal employees, with the bill falling short of the required 60 votes to advance.
President Trump praised the private donor who contributed $130 million to the Defense Department, calling him "a great gentleman" and "a patron" during a press conference. Despite these efforts, officials have warned that these measures are temporary fixes and that military personnel risk missing future paychecks if the shutdown persists.
Bessent urged moderate Democrats to break with their party and vote in favor of reopening the government, warning that the shutdown is starting to affect the economy. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries emphasized the urgent need to reopen the government and called for bipartisan negotiations to reach a spending agreement.