US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he has issued an order to ensure active-duty military personnel receive their pay on October 15, despite the ongoing government shutdown, now entering its second week.

“I ordered [Defense Secretary] Pete Hegseth to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, blaming Senate Democrats for what he called a “dangerous Government Shutdown.”

He accused Democrats of holding the military and national security hostage, warning that the crisis continues to impact public services, federal workers, and 1.3 million military personnel.

“I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE,” he said.

Military pay in jeopardy amid political standoff

The US shutdown began after lawmakers missed the September 30 funding deadline. While nonessential government operations have ceased, many civil servants remain on the job without pay. This includes hundreds of thousands of federal workers and nearly all military personnel.

If unresolved, the crisis would mark the first time in modern history that US active-duty troops miss a paycheck during a shutdown — a scenario previously flagged in an Al Mayadeen report highlighting the impact on service members under a record $925 billion defense budget.

Senate deadlock over healthcare subsidies

At the heart of the deadlock is a standoff between Senate Democrats and Republicans, who have refused to include language addressing the expiration of subsidies that make healthcare affordable for 24 million Americans.

As negotiations stall, the White House has begun preparing mass layoffs. According to court filings, around 4,000 federal workers across multiple agencies are expected to lose their jobs if the shutdown continues.