In a dramatic turn during the third week of the federal government shutdown, President Donald Trump announced on October 11, 2025, that he had directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to use “all available funds” to ensure military personnel receive their scheduled paychecks on October 15. The shutdown, which began on October 1, has left nearly 750,000 federal employees furloughed and prompted the Trump administration to initiate mass layoffs in a bid to pressure Democrats to accept a Republican spending plan.
Trump’s directive, made public via a post on his Truth Social platform, was clear: “I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown.” According to BBC, this message was aimed at ensuring that, despite the shutdown, active-duty military—considered “essential” and therefore still required to report for duty—would not miss their regular pay.
The president’s move comes at a moment of heightened political brinkmanship in Washington. Both parties are entrenched in a bitter standoff over how to fund the government. Democrats have refused to support a Republican-authored spending plan that, in their view, would slash Medicaid and allow critical tax credits to expire—measures that would increase health insurance costs for millions of Americans. Republicans, meanwhile, accuse Democrats of “holding the government hostage” over unrelated policy demands, and blame them for the shutdown’s cascading effects.
As The Independent reports, the precise source of the funds to pay military personnel during the shutdown has not been disclosed. The Department of Defense received nearly $160 billion in July as part of what Trump dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” and observers speculate that these funds are being leveraged to keep military operations—and paychecks—going. However, when pressed for details, a White House spokesperson declined to comment.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth responded to Trump’s announcement by sharing a screenshot of the president’s post and declaring, “President Trump delivers for the troops.” The move was met with cautious relief among military families, many of whom had grown anxious over the prospect of missed pay in the midst of the budget impasse.
But while the administration has found a way to keep the military paid, the rest of the federal workforce has not been so lucky. About 750,000 federal employees—roughly 40% of the federal workforce—remain furloughed without pay, and the Trump administration has begun firing thousands more. On October 10 and 11, agencies sent “reduction in force” (RIF) notices to over 4,000 workers, with more layoffs expected in the coming days. The layoffs have hit seven agencies especially hard, including the Treasury Department, Department of Health and Human Services, Education, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, Energy, and Homeland Security, according to USA TODAY.
Particularly notable is the impact on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where the agency’s entire Washington, D.C. office—including staff working on the Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report, Ebola response, and immunizations—was laid off. The Department of Education also saw dramatic cuts, with nearly all staff in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and employees involved in the TRIO college access program dismissed. As Rachel Gittleman, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, told USA TODAY, “The firings double down on the harm to K-12 students and schools across the country.”
The administration has not shied away from the political motivations behind the layoffs. Trump himself told reporters on October 10, “It will be a lot of people, all because of the Democrats,” and claimed the firings targeted “Democrat-oriented” government areas. Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management, confirmed on X that “The RIFs have begun” and warned that “more RIFs are coming.”
Unions representing federal workers have pushed back fiercely. The American Federation of Government Employees and AFL-CIO filed a lawsuit in northern California on October 11, seeking to block the layoffs. Everett Kelley, AFGE president, called the firings “disgraceful,” adding, “It is disgraceful that the Trump administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities across the country.” The Justice Department, for its part, argued in court filings that a restraining order against the layoffs would “irreparably harm the government,” while insisting that unions had not proven their members would suffer irreparable harm.
Meanwhile, the shutdown’s effects are rippling far beyond Washington. As USA TODAY notes, the Federal Aviation Administration has reported understaffing at key locations, causing flight delays. Military families are voicing concerns over food insecurity and cancelled services, and Native American communities have been disproportionately affected after the Bureau of Indian Affairs furloughed over 1,100 employees. Even the Smithsonian museums—including the National Zoo—have closed their doors, with the beloved giant panda cam going dark until the government reopens.
Political leaders remain locked in a messaging war. Trump insists that Democrats are to blame for the shutdown and its fallout, repeatedly urging them to “OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, and then we can work together to address Healthcare, and many other things that they want to destroy.” Democrats, on the other hand, argue that the Republican spending plan would strip health insurance from millions. As Senator Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, put it in an October 11 post on X, “Four million Americans will lose health care if Republicans get their way. That means people will go bankrupt paying for chemotherapy. That’s on them.”
Despite Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress, they lack the votes to overcome a Senate filibuster, leaving negotiations at a standstill. Calls from some Republicans to invoke the so-called “nuclear option” and bypass the 60-vote threshold have been rebuffed by party leaders, who warn that such a move could backfire in the future. House Speaker Mike Johnson has canceled plans for the House to convene, and the Senate remains in recess until October 14, with no clear path to reopening the government.
Public opinion appears to be shifting as the shutdown drags on. An Economist/YouGov poll conducted October 4-6 found that 41% of U.S. adults blame Trump and the GOP for the shutdown, while 30% fault Democrats and 23% say both parties are equally responsible. As the shutdown’s impact spreads, these numbers could change, potentially altering the political calculus in Congress.
For now, the only certainty is continued uncertainty. With both sides dug in and the effects of the shutdown mounting, Washington finds itself at an impasse—one where the nation’s military will get paid, but millions of other Americans are left anxiously waiting for resolution.
