White House says it has money to pay troops during shutdown

(NewsNation) — The White House has found funds to pay the military during the government shutdown, an Office of Management and Budget official confirmed to NewsNation.

The official said the government would take $2.5 billion from a military housing fund in President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” legislation from earlier this year; $1.4 billion from the Pentagon’s Research, Development, Test and Evaluation fund; and $1.4 billion from a procurement account typically used for building Navy vessels.

The moves may technically run afoul of appropriation law, as Congress has the power to dictate funding. But it could be perilous politically to challenge the White House’s moves as the shutdown continues into Day 30.

Troops, air traffic controllers and hundreds of thousands of other workers have missed some or all of their paychecks as the congressional stalemate rolls on.

The American Federation of Government Employees and National Air Traffic Controllers Association, two of the biggest unions representing federal workers, called on Congress to open the government.

The impact of the shutdown will increase to tens of millions if a deal isn’t reached by Saturday, when SNAP benefits for 42 million Americans are set to run out.