WASHINGTON — The Department of Defense plans to siphon $8 billion in leftover fiscal 2025 research and development funding to ensure troops get a paycheck during the ongoing government shutdown, a department official said in a statement on Saturday.
“The President has directed the Secretary of War to use available funds to pay service members on October 15th,” the official wrote in a brief statement to an array of questions by Breaking Defense. “The Department of War has identified approximately $8 billion of unobligated research development testing and evaluation funds (RDTE) from the prior fiscal year that will be used to issue mid month paychecks to service members in the event the funding lapse continues past October 15th.”
The unusual move comes nearly two weeks into the government shutdown, prompting DoD to begin furloughing some its civilian workforce. Those in uniform, however, have been required to continue working without a paycheck until either a FY26 spending bill is passed, lawmakers eke out a deal on a continuing resolution to reopen the government at FY25 spending levels, or, as has happened in the past, Congress passes a special agreement to cover pay for troops.
The official did not answer questions about an array of topics including how long those funds are expected to last, if additional dollars have been identified or what impact that will have on efforts to develop new weapons and tech.
One defense source told Breaking Defense that they are expecting a hit to ongoing development programs, but just what that means is not clear. DoD also appears to be unilaterally making the move without clearing a reprogramming request though Congress.
So far, Republicans and the Trump administration are at odds with Democrats’ position that there needs to be an extension of federal subsidies for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act in order to end the shutdown.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that, “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.”