(MENAFN- Live Mint) Donald Trump announced on Saturday, October 11, that he has directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to“use all available funds” to ensure the United States troops are paid by October 15. Citing his authority as Commander in Chief, Donald Trump stated that the necessary funds have been identified and will be released for payment to the troops.

He also blamed Democrats for“holding” the military in a reference to the Republicans-Democrats stalemate, causing the government shutdown, as he called on them to“OPEN THE GOVERNMENT”.

Nonessential government work stopped after the September 30 funding deadline, with Senate Democrats repeatedly blocking a Republican resolution to reopen federal agencies. The sticking point has been a refusal by Republicans to include language in the bill to address expiring subsidies that make health insurance affordable for 24 million Americans.

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Donald Trump said,“Chuck Schumer recently said,“Every day gets better” during their Radical Left Shutdown. I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of“Leader” Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.”

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Announcing the decision to release paychecks to the military, the US President said,“That is why 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. We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”

“I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown. The Radical Left Democrats should OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, and then we can work together to address Healthcare, and many other things that they want to destroy. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Thousands laid off, Trump blames Democrats

The White House said Friday it had begun mass layoffs of federal workers as the government shutdown continued for Day 11. The Trump administration has axed as many as or more than 4,200 federal workers, it said in a court filing.

The layoffs were most concentrated in two departments – the Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services saw approximately 1,446 and up to 1,200 layoffs, respectively. Other departments also faced reductions, including Education (466), Housing and Urban Development (442), Commerce (315), Energy (187), and Homeland Security (176).

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