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.

The Washington Monument is visible as U.S. Army soldiers work on an assortment of M1 Alpha a3 Abrams tanks, stryker armored vehicles, and M2 Bradley fighting vehicles at West Potomac Park in Washington on June 11, 2025. Andrew Harnik/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.