Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said Sunday that the United States would not be able to pay service members until the middle of next month if the government shutdown goes on longer.
“We were able to pay military personnel in the middle of this month from excess funds at the Pentagon. I think we’ll be able to pay them starting in November,” Bessant told CBS News’ Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation.”
He said, “But until November 15, our soldiers and service members who are willing to risk their lives will not be able to get paid. What a shame.”
On Friday, President Trump praised a donor who gave $130 million to the Defense Department to pay service members who missed payments as the government did. Shutdown reaches its fourth week,
“He’s a great gentleman,” Trump told reporters earlier. “He’s a mentor.”
He added, “He’s obviously a very important person, and he contributed $130 million to the Army to make up any difference, so he wanted to see the Army get paid.” “So did I. And he’s a wonderful person.”
Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a GOP bill to pay active-duty members of the military and other essential federal workers who had to work amid the government shutdown.
Democrats blocked the bill on a mostly party-line vote of 54-45 to 60. We need votes to move forward,
Earlier this month, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) blamed Democrats for the growing pay gap for military personnel, noting that seven Senate votes failed to pass his stopgap funding bill.
“HR 5371 (Continuing Resolution) is the bill to pay our troops. No one in the military or any military family should have their pay blocked on October 15th!” Johnson said social platform x In those days.
