Trump Orders Pentagon to Tap “All Available Funds” So Troops Are Paid on Oct. 15—Even as Shutdown Drags On

Directive pulls roughly $8B in unobligated RDT&E money to cover mid-month pay; Coast Guard inclusion unclear and critics warn of legal/operational risks if the shutdown persists

WASHINGTON | President Donald Trump said he has directed the Pentagon to use “all available funds” to ensure U.S. service members receive their Oct. 15 paychecks despite the ongoing federal shutdown. Defense officials subsequently identified about $8 billion in unobligated Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) funds from the last fiscal year to execute the mid-month payroll if the funding lapse continues, administration and defense sources said. 

In a weekend social-media post, Trump said the move was necessary so “our Brave Troops” do not miss pay; the White House budget office indicated the reprogramming would rely on Pentagon R&D accounts. The decision does not extend to hundreds of thousands of furloughed or unpaid federal civilians, potentially reducing pressure on Congress to resolve the impasse. 

Pentagon officials and outside analysts called the step extraordinary and likely temporary, warning the maneuver could disrupt R&D schedules and may be hard to repeat if the shutdown stretches into November. It remained uncertain whether the Coast Guard—under DHS in peacetime—will be covered, echoing past shutdown inequities for that service. 

What The Order Does—and Doesn't—Do

• Ensures Oct. 15 pay for ~1.3M active-duty troops by redirecting prior-year RDT&E funds. 
• Leaves civilian workforce exposed: thousands furloughed or working without pay; no parallel relief announced. 
• Raises legal/appropriations questions: Budget experts note that using RDT&E for pay is unusual and may require tight compliance with transfer/reprogramming rules; the administration insists the funds are available. 

Why It Matters

• Force readiness & morale: Avoiding a missed paycheck averts immediate hardship for junior enlisted families and helps maintain unit focus during operations. 
• Strategic trade-offs: Diverting RDT&E can delay weapons testing, labs, and prototyping, impacting next-gen capabilities if repeated. 
• Political dynamics: By removing a key pressure point, the move may prolong the shutdown, complicating broader negotiations over funding and health-care subsidies. 

The Fine Print: Risks and Road Ahead

Appropriations lawyers caution that RDT&E accounts are not a standing piggy bank for payroll; any follow-on mid-month or end-month payments could require additional legal steps, congressional notifications, or deeper raids on modernization programs. Meanwhile, service relief societies and lenders are ramping up contingency support in case the November pay cycle is threatened. 

Bottom line: Oct. 15 is covered for uniformed troops, but this is a stopgap. Without a funding deal, program slippage and renewed pay uncertainty loom next month—especially for the Coast Guard and civilian workforce. 

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-- By Leticia Jacobs

'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Defense News Press writer Andre Leday contributed to this report.

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