Overview

• Trump directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to ensure military pay goes out Wednesday, saying unspecified funds have been identified to cover the checks.
• Roughly 1.3 million active-duty service members were at risk of missing pay after the shutdown began on Oct. 1.
• The White House and Pentagon have not detailed the funding sources, though the CBO says certain mandatory dollars can legally be redirected and an OMB spokesperson said Pentagon research and development money would be used.
• Federal agencies have initiated reduction‑in‑force procedures, with filings showing hundreds of layoffs at departments including Treasury, Health and Human Services, Education, Commerce and Energy, as unions move to challenge the firings in court.
• Analysts warn the step removes a key pressure point on Congress, with Senate action stalled until next week and House votes idle, increasing the risk of a longer shutdown.