President Donald Trump directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to pay U.S. troops amid the ongoing government shutdown, blasting Democrats for what he called their “Radical Left Shutdown.”
Trump said the move ensures that military service members will receive their paychecks next week despite the funding standoff.
“Chuck Schumer recently said, ‘Every day gets better’ during their Radical Left Shutdown,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.”
The president said he had ordered Hegseth “to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th.”
“We have identified funds to do this,” Trump added. “Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”
Trump vowed not to allow Democrats to “hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown.”
“The Radical Left Democrats should OPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” Trump said. “Then we can work together to address Healthcare, and many other things that they want to destroy.”
The government has been shut down since Oct. 1 after lawmakers failed to agree on a spending bill, per Fox News.
Democrats have opposed proposed cuts to Medicaid and expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits, claiming they could raise premiums.
Trump blamed Democratic lawmakers for the stalemate, saying they’ve put political games above the welfare of American workers.
“Democrats have SHUT DOWN the United States government right in the midst of one of the most successful economies, including a record stock market, that our country has ever had,” Trump wrote. “This has sadly affected so many programs, services, and other elements of society that Americans rely on — and it should not have happened.”
He added that he would be “happy to work with the Democrats on their failed healthcare policies” once the government reopens.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, however, appeared confident about his position, telling Punchbowl News, “Every day gets better for us.”
Schumer said Democrats had prepared “long in advance” for the shutdown and focused on making health care the central issue.
Republicans have accused Schumer of prioritizing political gains, pointing to pressure from progressives in New York as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez considers a Senate challenge and Zohran Mamdani leads the New York City mayoral race.
“Chuck Schumer just said the quiet part out loud,” said White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson. “Democrats are gleefully inflicting pain on the American people over their push to give illegal aliens free health care.”
The White House maintains that Democrats are responsible for the shutdown and the impact it’s having on federal workers and the military. Trump’s order to Hegseth marks an attempt to shield troops from the fallout and keep the standoff from affecting national defense.
