Trump bypasses Congress to pay military, calls Dems’ shutdown tactic a hostage situation
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the Pentagon would use available funds to ensure military service members receive their paychecks on October 15, despite the ongoing government shutdown. This move, aimed at bypassing a deadlocked Congress, allows the military to be paid while most other government workers go without.
Trump criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats, blaming them for the shutdown. The funds will come from research and development budgets, though details on the amount or the long-term viability of this approach remain unclear.
While the move has been praised as necessary, it may deepen the partisan divide, especially since it does not appear to include U.S. Coast Guard members, who are under the Department of Homeland Security.
