(MENAFN) US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned on Sunday that the US could face challenges in paying its military personnel if the government shutdown persists into mid-November.

Speaking in an interview on the program Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Bessent explained that although the military was able to be compensated earlier this month using excess funds from the Pentagon, this arrangement may not last much longer.

"We were able to pay the military employees from excess funds at the Pentagon, middle of this month. I think we’ll be able to pay them beginning in November," he stated.

However, he emphasized that by November 15, service members may not receive their paychecks, calling the situation "an embarrassment."

In response to the shutdown's impact, the Department of Defense revealed on Friday that the administration would depend on a generous $130 million donation from an anonymous supporter of US President Donald Trump to cover the wages of military personnel.

"He’s obviously a very substantial man, and he contributed $130 million for the military in order to make up any difference, so he wanted to see the military get paid. So did I. And he’s a wonderful man," Trump remarked about the anonymous donor.

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats blocked a Republican-backed proposal on Thursday that would have ensured pay for active-duty military members and other essential federal workers affected by the shutdown.

The measure was narrowly defeated in a largely party-line vote of 54-45, failing to secure the 60 votes needed for progression.

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