'PAY OUR TROOPS': Trump unveils creative solution to minimize military's shutdown pain



President Donald Trump is implementing a temporary solution to minimize the pain inflicted on American servicemen during the Democrat-induced government shutdown.

Trump announced Saturday that he has identified funds for Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to use to ensure American troops don't miss a paycheck on Oct. 15. This action comes after the Senate reached a stalemate, sending lawmakers home until votes resume Tuesday.

'I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE.'

With no end to the shutdown in sight, Trump decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Chuck Schumer recently said, 'Every day gets better' during their Radical Left Shutdown," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Saturday. "I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of 'Leader' Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th."

RELATED: White House deploys nuclear option amid Democrat-induced shutdown stalemate

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"That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th," Trump added. "We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS."

Democrats allowed government funding to lapse past the Sept. 30 deadline, refusing to pass the Republican-led continuing resolution. Although spending fights have turned partisan in the past, Republicans simply proposed a clean 90-page CR that kept funding levels at the same rates that Democrats voted for in the past. Their bill had no partisan line items, with the only anomaly being a bipartisan boost in security funding for politicians following Charlie Kirk's assassination.

On the other hand, Democrats proposed a $1.5 trillion funding bill that is chock-full of ideological provisions aimed at reversing the legislative accomplishments Republicans secured with the One Big Beautiful Bill. Democrats have also attempted to make the spending fight about renegotiating Obama-era health care subsidies, although they don't expire until the end of the year.

RELATED: White House dares Democrats with nuclear response to looming shutdown

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"I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown," Trump said. "The Radical Left Democrats should OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, and then we can work together to address Healthcare, and many other things that they want to destroy. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

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White House deploys nuclear option amid Democrat-induced shutdown stalemate



With no end in sight for the government shutdown, President Donald Trump's administration is turning up the heat on Democrats.

The Office of Management and Budget has officially begun issuing reduction-in-force notices that will lead to "substantial" layoffs across several federal agencies, an OMB spokesperson told Blaze News. OMB Director Russell Vought also confirmed the layoffs in a post on X Friday, saying, "The RIFs have begun."

'Every day it's actually getting worse for them.'

Vought originally directed agencies to begin drafting RIF notices back in September in anticipation of the government shutdown. Trump also signaled on Thursday that mass layoffs and program cuts were imminent, warning that Democrats would get "a little taste of their own medicine."

"We're only going to cut Democrat programs, I hate to tell you," Trump said during the Cabinet meeting Thursday.

RELATED: White House dares Democrats with nuclear response to looming shutdown

Annabelle Gordon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

"Chuck Schumer proclaimed this morning that every day gets better for them," Trump said. "No, every day it's actually getting worse for them, and they're having a rebellion in the Democrat Party because they want to stop."

Although Democrats have continued to dig their heels in, Republicans have remained unified behind the president, arguing there's nothing to negotiate. Going into the 10th day of the shutdown, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) made his media rounds on Friday by attending several pressers throughout the day, even joining the House Freedom Caucus for its historic, first-ever press call.

During the call, Johnson also hinted that Congress may be considering another rescissions package and that lawmakers will be hearing more "in the days to come."

RELATED: Most Democrats vote against bill boosting security funds for politicians following Kirk assassination

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

As of this writing, Democrats have voted to keep the government closed over a half dozen times since the September 30 funding deadline lapsed. The Republican-led funding bill Democrats have so heavily protested is a clean, nonpartisan CR that keeps the government open at the current spending levels, with the exception of increased funding for security following Charlie Kirk's assassination.

In contrast, the Democrats' funding bill boasts a $1.5 trillion price tag, aiming to reverse virtually every legislative accomplishment Republicans secured with Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Even with competing legislation, Congress has reached a stalemate, with both the House and the Senate out of session until Tuesday.

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Trump teases shutdown consequences for Democrats: 'A little taste of their own medicine'



Over a week into the Democrat-induced government shutdown, President Donald Trump revealed just how far the administration is willing to go.

During a Cabinet meeting Thursday, Trump said Democrats will get "a little taste of their own medicine." The government has officially entered its ninth day of the shutdown, and neither Democrats nor Republicans seem to have budged. As a result, Trump is turning up the pressure.

'They wanted to do this.'

"Despite all of the damage that it's caused, the shutdown, it's been, you know, pretty damaging, I mean, not yet because it's early, but it gets a little bit worse as it goes along," Trump said.

As a result, Trump said his administration will "be making cuts that will be permanent."

RELATED: Pam Bondi tears into Democratic senator: 'I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump'

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"We're only going to cut Democrat programs, I hate to tell you," Trump said.

"We'll be cutting some very popular Democrat programs. ... They wanted to do this, so we'll give them a little taste of their own medicine," Trump added.

Democrats have voted several times to keep the government closed since the October 1 funding deadline. The Republican-led funding bill is a clean continuing resolution with no partisan anomalies. The only change in the GOP's bill is a bipartisan increase in security funding for lawmakers following Charlie Kirk's assassination.

In contrast, the Democrat-led funding bill boasts a $1.5 trillion price tag and aims to reverse most if not all legislative accomplishments achieved through Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

RELATED: Trump praises Blaze News reporting during Antifa roundtable at White House — and slaps down MSNBC, CNN

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"Chuck Schumer proclaimed this morning that every day gets better for them," Trump said. "No, every day it's actually getting worse for them, and they're having a rebellion in the Democrat Party because they want to stop."

"This is a confession that he's acting, not to serve the people, but to serve the partisan interests of his party," Trump added. "And I don't think he's serving them well because ... they just lost an election in a landslide."

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Two Republicans Vote To Block Trump Striking Narco Boats

'Strip President Trump of his constitutional authority'

Deadlocked Democrats continue stubborn standoff, prolonging government shutdown



Senate Democrats stubbornly kicked the can down the road, voting Friday to keep the government shut down.

The government shutdown will continue through the weekend after 44 Democrats voted against the Republicans' clean continuing resolution. However, more Democrats voted with Republicans on Friday than on Tuesday, as New York Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's coalition begins to crumble.

'The Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity.'

Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Democrat Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine joined 51 Republicans in voting to reopen the government on Friday. Notably, these are the same three senators who initially bucked their party and voted with the GOP. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the lone "no" vote of his party.

"We could be considering bipartisan appropriations bills through regular order, but instead we are stuck in a shutdown mess of Democrats’ making," Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said. "And the American people are suffering as a result."

RELATED: Trump trolls leftists as shutdown presents key opportunity to cut 'Democrat Agencies'

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"Republicans are about to vote (again) to reopen the government and every Democrat outside of a few sensible moderates will vote to keep it shut," Vice President JD Vance said ahead of the vote. "This is the basic fact of the shutdown, and no one can deny it."

Schumer and his fellow Democrats have backed themselves into a corner. Rather than passing the same continuing resolution Democrats have voted for over a dozen times in past spending fights, Schumer is attempting to leverage the shutdown to force Republicans to negotiate on Obama-era health care subsidies.

Democrats even proposed their own competing funding bill, which boasts a $1.5 trillion price tag and would effectively reverse every legislative accomplishment from Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. In contrast, the Republican-led bill is a clean continuing resolution with a funding anomaly to boost security spending for politicians in light of Charlie Kirk's horrific assassination.

RELATED: Vance makes Jeffries a hilarious promise if Democrats end the shutdown

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To Democrats' dismay, their negotiating tactics have proven ineffective. Although the White House has reiterated that the administration would rather reopen the government, President Donald Trump and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought are seizing the opportunity.

Ahead of the shutdown, Vought notified federal agencies to begin drafting reduction-in-force notices in anticipation of mass layoffs. Trump and Vought also met Thursday to identify which "Democrat Agencies" would be cut, and tens of billions of dollars' worth of projects have already been halted by the administration.

"I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity," Trump said in a Truth Social post Thursday. "They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

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Trump trolls leftists as shutdown presents key opportunity to cut 'Democrat Agencies'



President Donald Trump has once again trolled Democrats for giving the administration the perfect opportunity to further implement the MAGA mandate.

As the federal government enters its second day of the shutdown, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Friday that layoffs will likely be in the thousands. This estimate comes as Trump and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought meet to identify which "Democrat Agencies" should be cut.

'I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity.'

"It's likely going to be in the thousands," Leavitt said. "It's a very good question, and that's something that the Office of Management and Budget and the entire team at the White House here is unfortunately having to work on today."

"These discussions and these conversations, these meetings, would not be happening if the Democrats had voted to keep the government open," Leavitt added.

RELATED: Vance makes Jeffries a hilarious promise if Democrats end the shutdown

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Vought already halted a few projects on Wednesday, totaling roughly $26 billion. Vought first paused $18 billion worth of projects in New York City, including the Hudson Tunnel Project and the Second Ave Subway. Vought also canceled nearly $8 billion in "Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left's climate agenda" across 16 different states.

Trump, likely trolling Democrats about their failed attempts last year to turn Project 2025 into an electoral liability, later announced that he would be meeting with Vought "of PROJECT 2025 Fame" to continue identifying programs and agencies to cut.

"I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent," Trump said in a Truth Social post Thursday.

"I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity," Trump added. "They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

RELATED: Government grinds to a halt after Democrats force first shutdown in 6 years

Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images

The Senate is set once again to vote Friday on the pair of continuing resolutions proposed by Republicans and Democrats respectively. The Republican-led CR is the same clean CR Democrats voted for to keep the government open over a dozen times prior, adding only an anomaly for increased security funding for government officials.

On the other hand, Democrats put forth an ideological bill that contains roughly $1.5 trillion worth of funding aimed at reversing everything accomplished in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Notably, three Senate Democrats initially voted for the Republican led-CR on Tuesday, indicating fractures in New York Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's base. The Senate needs 60 votes, or at least seven Democrats, to pass the funding bill to reopen the government, assuming all 53 Republicans vote in lockstep.

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Government grinds to a halt after Democrats force first shutdown in 6 years



While congressional Democrats continue to dig their heels in, the federal government has officially shut down for the first time in over half a decade.

The government shut down at midnight on October 1 after Democrats continuously blocked the Republican-led funding bill in the Senate. The GOP's funding bill is a clean, 91-page continuing resolution with no partisan anomalies. The only new provision in the Republican bill is a bipartisan provision that boosts security funding for politicians in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's horrific assassination.

'The ball is in the Democrats’ court.'

Rather than passing the clean bipartisan resolution, Democrats have insisted on ramming through their $1.5 trillion funding bill that reverses every meaningful legislative accomplishment Congress passed earlier in the year with President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Some of these Democratic priorities include continuing $350 billion worth of Biden-era subsidies, reviving federal funds for PBS and NPR, and reinstating public health care benefits for illegal aliens.

"House Republicans passed the SAME clean, nonpartisan CR that Chuck Schumer himself voted for back in March — and called 'the right thing to do,'" Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote in a post on X. "The ONLY thing that’s changed since then is pressure from his base to close down the government. That’s not leadership, it’s cowardice."

RELATED: White House dares Democrats with nuclear response to looming shutdown

Annabelle Gordon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

"The ball is in the Democrats’ court," Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said in a post on X. "But Chuck Schumer wants a Schumer shutdown."

The House previously passed the GOP's continuing resolution in a 217-212 vote, with just one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, joining Republicans to keep the government open. Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Victoria Spartz of Indiana voted against the bill.

The Senate eventually took up both the Republicans' clean CR and the Democrats' hyper-partisan funding bill on Tuesday, both of which failed. Although Republicans enjoy a supermajority in Congress, the CR needs 60 votes to pass the Senate. Assuming all 53 Republicans vote for the bill, at least seven Democrats will have to cave to reopen the government.

Notably, Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania as well as independent Sen. Angus King of Maine voted in favor of the Republican funding bill. One GOP senator, Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted against it. Both bills will be up for a vote again in the Senate on Wednesday.

RELATED: Most Democrats vote against bill boosting security funds for politicians following Kirk assassination

Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Although shutdowns have historically proven to be unpopular, Republicans are seizing the opportunity to continue implementing the MAGA mandate.

Ahead of the shutdown, Russell Vought's Office of Management and Budget began circulating a memo directing different agencies to identify programs whose funding would lapse following the shutdown and to begin drafting reduction in force notices for employees who would be affected.

As of this writing, Vought announced that roughly $18 billion in New York City infrastructure projects have been halted to "ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional DEI principles."

"It is unclear how long Democrats will maintain their untenable posture, making the duration of the shutdown difficult to predict," Vought wrote in a memo released Tuesday. "Regardless, employees should report to work for their next regularly scheduled tour of duty to undertake orderly shutdown activities. We will issue another memorandum indicating that government functions should resume once the president has signed a bill providing for appropriations."

RELATED: Exclusive: GOP slams Democrat spending plan as 'stale leftovers' riddled with radical left-wing policies

Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images

To Vought's point, it remains unclear how long Democrats will allow the government to stay closed. The last shutdown began on December 22, 2018, during Trump's first term, after Congress failed to approve a spending package that included funding for Trump's border wall. The shutdown lasted 35 days, the longest in history.

The government eventually reopened on January 25, 2019, after Congress reached a deal to pass a temporary spending bill without border funding, and Trump signed it.

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Senate Republicans Confident Voters Will Blame Democrats For Imminent Government Shutdown

Facing a dwindling timeline to fund the government, Republicans are expressing optimism that voters will blame Democrats for sparking a government shutdown.  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is arguing that Republicans will shoulder the blame for a shutdown despite Democrats being dug in against a GOP spending bill to temporarily fund government operations. Republicans have […]

White House dares Democrats with nuclear response to looming shutdown



While Democrats continue to dig their heels in ahead of the looming deadline to avert a government shutdown, the White House has made clear that the administration is willing to go nuclear.

The Office of Management and Budget, headed by Director Russell Vought, escalated the already tense funding fight by threatening mass firings across the federal workforce if Democrats shut down the government. In a new memo, the OMB directed agencies to identify programs whose funding lapses after the September 30 deadline and instructed them to begin drafting reduction in force notes for employees who may be affected.

Democrats introduced their own bill containing a $1.5 trillion 'progressive reckless wish list.'

"Over the past 10 fiscal years, Congress has consistently passed Continuing Resolutions on or by September 30 on a bipartisan basis," the memo reads. "Unfortunately, congressional Democrats are signaling that they intend to break this bipartisan trend and shut down the government in the coming days over a series of insane demands, including $1 trillion in new spending."

"As such, it has never been more important for the administration to be prepared for a shutdown if the Democrats choose to pursue one."

RELATED: GOP slams Democrat spending plan as 'stale leftovers' riddled with radical left-wing policies

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

The House narrowly passed the GOP-led continuing resolution in a 217-212 vote, seeking to keep the government open through November 21. The funding bill was a clean 91-page CR that included anomalies to increase funding for security, allocating $30 million for Congress, $30 million for the executive branch, and $28 million for the judicial branch.

As the memo points out, the clean CR was consistent with previous bipartisan funding bills. Despite this, Democrats refused to reach across the aisle to keep the government open and instead introduced their own bill containing a $1.5 trillion "progressive reckless wish list."

The Senate is now tasked with taking up the CR just days before the deadline.

RELATED: Most Democrats vote against bill boosting security funds for politicians following Kirk assassination

Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the Trump administration's threat to fire federal workers is just an "attempt at intimidation." Notably, the shutdown would not affect programs like Social Security, Medicare, veterans' benefits, law enforcement, military operations, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and air traffic control.

"This is an attempt at intimidation," Schumer said in a post on X. "Donald Trump has been firing federal workers since day one — not to govern, but to scare. This is nothing new and has nothing to do with funding the government. These unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back, just like they did as recently as this week."

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