October 17, 2025 | 02:06 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed a memorandum on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, directing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to ensure that military personnel continue to receive their pay during the ongoing 15-day government shutdown.
According to a report from Anadolu, the order directs Hegseth to use funds allocated by Congress for the fiscal year 2026 to cover the salaries and allowances of active personnel and reserve components serving during the related pay period. Trump called the situation "a serious and unacceptable threat to military readiness and the ability of our Armed Forces to protect and defend our Nation."
Political Deadlock in Congress
The government shutdown was triggered by a political deadlock in Congress. Legislative leaders stated that inter-party negotiations had reached an impasse, making the likelihood of a bipartisan agreement minimal before the October 15 payment deadline.
The Senate had failed to pass a continuing resolution to maintain government funding at its current levels. In previous shutdowns, the government typically kept essential employees working without pay and furloughed non-essential employees, subsequently providing full back pay after the shutdown ended. This time, however, Trump took a different step by ensuring payment for military members who remain on duty.
Emergency Funding and Warnings
According to Politico, US House Speaker Mike Johnson called Trump's action to pay military salaries during the shutdown a temporary solution. He warned that service members might miss their next scheduled pay on October 31 if the Democratic Party does not promptly approve the government's reopening.
The Department of Defense utilized remaining research and development (R&D) funds to pay the salaries of 1.3 million active personnel, as well as tens of thousands of National Guard and reserve members currently on duty.
The White House reportedly allocated US$6.5 billion for this week's payment, which is less than the US$8 billion the Trump administration had previously announced. These funds come from an estimated US$10 billion in remaining military R&D budget available until next fall.
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