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Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that U.S. service members will receive their paychecks this week despite the ongoing partial government shutdown that has stretched to nearly a month, even as funding has lapsed for many federal operations.
U.S. troops are typically not paid when Congress fails to approve government spending on time. Republicans and Democrats continue to blame each other for the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.
“We do think that we can continue paying the troops, at least for now,” Vance told reporters at the Capitol. “We have got food stamp benefits that are set to run out in a week. We are trying to keep as much open as possible. We just need the Democrats to actually help us out.”
The Trump administration earlier used about $8 billion in leftover research, development, testing and evaluation funds from the previous fiscal year to cover military pay on Oct. 15.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that the Department of War has enough unspent funds to continue paying military personnel through October.
“I think we will be able to pay them beginning in November, but by Nov. 15 our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives are not going to be able to get paid,” Bessent said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Roughly 334,900 civilian Defense Department workers were scheduled to be furloughed under a contingency plan prepared before the shutdown took effect.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that each day without a funding agreement costs taxpayers about $400 million in salary for roughly 750,000 furloughed federal workers. They typically do not receive back pay until after the shutdown ends, leaving families struggling to manage finances in the meantime.
The previous government shutdown lasted 35 days during Trump’s first term and remains the longest on record.
The news also comes days after President Trump said Thursday that a wealthy private donor has contributed $130 million to the U.S. government to help ensure military service members continue receiving pay during the ongoing government shutdown.
Speaking at a White House event, the president described the contributor as a patriot and a “friend of mine,” but did not reveal the person’s identity.
“He called us the other day and said, ‘I’d like to contribute any shortfall you have because of the Democrat shutdown … because I love the military and I love the country,’” President Trump said.
