US may be unable to pay troops by mid-November if government shutdown continues: Treasury chief

ISTANBUL

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that the US could face difficulties in paying its service members by mid-November if a government shutdown is extended.

“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 in an interview on the program 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.

On Friday, the Defense Department confirmed that the administration will rely on a $130 million donation from an anonymous supporter of US President Donald Trump to pay military personnel.

“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 about the anonymous donor.

Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a Republican-backed bill that would have provided pay to active-duty military personnel and other essential federal workers affected by the government shutdown.

The measure failed in a mostly party-line vote of 54-45, falling short of the 60 votes required to advance.