Trump's week in review: Questions salvation; Knesset speech; Charlie Kirk gets Medal of Freedom
4. Trump order ensures troops get paid during government shutdown
In a memo published Wednesday, Trump ordered United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to take steps to ensure that troops continue to get paid during the ongoing government shutdown. The memo's publication coincided with the date troops who had remained on duty during the government shutdown were scheduled to receive their next paycheck.
The memo directed Hegseth to work with the Office of Management and Budget to "use for the purpose of pay and allowances any funds appropriated by the Congress that remain available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026 to accomplish the scheduled disbursement of military pay and allowances for active duty military personnel, as well as for Reserve component military personnel who have performed active service during the relevant pay period."
Trump directed Hegseth to ensure that "Funds used for military pay and allowances during the current lapse should be those that the Secretary of War determines are provided for purposes that have a reasonable, logical relationship to the pay and allowances of military personnel."
Trump's memo has raised legal questions, as federal law prohibits the use of congressionally approved funding for anything other than its intended purpose. He ordered Hegseth to keep the relevant federal law in mind when determining how to pay the troops during the shutdown.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
