The Pentagon warned Thursday that U.S. troops could miss their paychecks during the holiday season if Congress fails to pass a funding agreement by Friday’s deadline, potentially triggering a government shutdown.
On Thursday, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said that active-duty military personnel would still be required to report for duty, both domestically and overseas, even without pay. Reservists scheduled to drill after Friday would also go unpaid, alongside federal civilian employees deemed essential during a shutdown.
“A lapse in funding will cause serious disruptions across the Department of Defense and is still avoidable,” Ryder said, adding to the sense of urgency in the congressional action.
The risk of a shutdown increased as support for the 1,500-page spending bill crumbled under criticism from President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Using Musk’s social media platform X, the two influential figures denounced the unrelated spending add-ons in the bill and threatened to politically target GOP lawmakers supporting it.
Attempts at writing a fallback funding resolution were being drafted late Thursday, and House Republicans tried desperately to get back on their own feet. “A shutdown deprives the military of a paycheck,” said Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles, while emphasizing they shouldn’t experience that fate.
The Democrats, on the other hand, criticized the new proposal by calling it unworkable. Previously during shutdowns, Congress has managed to pass various measures ensuring troop pay in the service branches although not all at the same time. For instance, personnel in the Coast Guard remained unpaid for more than a month during the 2019 shutdown.
With the deadline looming on Friday, federal operations remain uncertain. Military payrolls are some of the most visible casualties of legislative gridlock. The situation reflects the larger implications of a potential government shutdown for military families and national defense.
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