President Trump on Saturday instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to use available federal funds to pay military servicemembers as an Oct. 15 pay day approaches amid the government shutdown.
"We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown."
Military pay has become a hot button issue after the Senate went home for the long weekend following another set of failed votes on stopgap funding that would have turned the lights back on until at least Nov. 21. At least 1.3 million servicemembers were expected to not be paid on Wednesday over the lapse in federal funding.
Trump's Saturday announcement comes as the federal government fired at least 4,100 furloughed federal workers were fired on Friday, stretching across several departments and agencies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laid off dozens of employees late Friday night as well.
Meanwhile, health care remains top of mind for lawmakers. At home and on Capitol Hill, Republicans are playing defense as Democrats have successfully made the funding debate about health care.
President Trump has no public events scheduled on Saturday but is expected to travel to the Middle East on Sunday to mark the implementation of a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Follow along for the latest updates below.
Source: The Hill - News
