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By Gabe Whisnant
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Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday he expects U.S. military service members will receive paychecks by the end of the week, though he did not detail how the Trump administration plans to reallocate funds amid the nation’s second-longest government shutdown.
“We do think that we can continue paying the troops, at least for now," Vance told reporters after lunch with Senate Republicans at the Capitol. "We’ve got food stamp benefits that are set to run out in a week. We’re trying to keep as much open as possible. We just need the Democrats to actually help us out.”
Earlier this month, the Trump administration used $8 billion from military research and development accounts to cover payroll, but it remains unclear whether officials are willing or able to shift funds again to pay the nation’s 1.3 million active-duty service members.
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Newsweek has reached out to the White House via email on Tuesday afternoon for comment.
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Last week, an anonymous “friend” of President Donald Trump donated $130 million to help pay U.S. service members during the ongoing government shutdown. The person was identified as the wealthy, reclusive Timothy Mellon, the New York Times reported on Saturday, citing two people familiar with the matter.
The vice president reaffirmed Republicans’ strategy of courting a few Senate Democrats to support a stopgap funding bill to reopen the government. Nearly a month into the shutdown, however, the approach has failed to gain traction. Shortly before Vance’s visit, the Senate rejected legislation to end the shutdown for the 13th time.
The funding standoff in Washington has taken on new urgency as millions of Americans face losing food assistance, federal employees miss their first full paycheck, and mounting airport delays disrupt travel across the country.
Does the Government Shutdown Affect Military Retirement and Pensions?
Military retirement pay and veterans’ pensions are not affected by the government shutdown because they are funded through mandatory spending, not annual appropriations. Retirees and survivors will continue to receive payments on schedule. However, some administrative delays could occur if federal offices handling benefits processing operate with reduced staff.
What Services Are Affected by the Government Shutdown
The shutdown has disrupted a range of government services, including delays in food assistance programs, passport processing, and some federal court operations. National parks and museums have reduced hours or closed entirely, while air travel has been strained by unpaid Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers. Many federal workers remain furloughed or are working without pay as the shutdown continues.
Updates: 10/28/25, 2:57 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 10/28/25, 4:38 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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