US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Sunday that the United States may struggle to pay its service members by mid-November if the ongoing government shutdown continues. “We were able to pay the military employees from excess funds at the Pentagon, middle of this month. I think we’ll be able to pay them beginning in November,” Bessent said during an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.
“But by Nov. 15, our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives aren’t going to be able to get paid. What an embarrassment,” he added. His remarks came amid growing concern over the impact of the shutdown on essential government operations and federal employees.
On Friday, the Defense Department confirmed that the administration will rely on a $130 million donation from an anonymous supporter of President Donald Trump to fund military salaries. “He’s obviously a very substantial man, and he contributed $130 million for the military in order to make up any difference, so he wanted to see the military get paid. So did I. And he’s a wonderful man,” Trump said of the donor. The issue has further deepened partisan tensions, as Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a Republican-backed bill that would have provided pay to active-duty military and other essential federal workers affected by the shutdown. The measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to pass, with a 54–45 outcome largely along party lines.
