Treasury Shuffling Funds so Troops Can Get Paid During Shutdown, Bessent Says

‘We’re having to prioritize payments,’ the Treasury chief said, building on Vice President JD Vance’s remarks about making payroll.

A Sherman tank participates in the Army's 250th birthday parade in Washington on June 14, 2025. Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Oct. 13 that the Treasury Department is adjusting its payment processes so active-duty servicemembers can continue to be paid during the government shutdown.

Bessent’s remarks, made in an Oct. 13 interview on Fox Business, follow a pledge by President Donald Trump, who said over the weekend that he had directed the Pentagon to use “all available funds” to keep paying troops during the shutdown ahead of a looming Oct. 15 military payday.