BREAKING NEWS: Trump Broke the Law to Pay Troops During Shutdown

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In a stunning move that legal experts say violates the Antideficiency Act and the Appropriations Purpose Statute, President Trump ordered the Pentagon to pull $6.5 billion in leftover research and development funds to cover October 15 military paychecks during the ongoing government shutdown [1][2][3][4][5][6].

The money—originally meant for weapons testing and technology development—was redirected without congressional approval, an act that experts warn tramples Congress’s constitutional “power of the purse.” [16][17][18][19][14]

Trump formalized the maneuver by signing National Security Presidential Memorandum-8, giving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sweeping authority to “use any available funds” for troop pay [14][15][1]. While 1.3 million active-duty service members were paid [7][10][1][2], hundreds of thousands of Guard, Reserve, and civilian employees still went without [2][7].

Democrats blasted the order as illegal. Rep. Rosa DeLauro said Trump was “violating the law left and right,” while Rep. Jim Himes called the move “probably illegal.” [16][18] Even the Cato Institute’s Romina Boccia agreed the White House “likely broke the law” by reallocating funds without Congress [16].

Speaker Mike Johnson defended Trump, saying he “showed strong leadership,” even as the Pentagon confirmed the cash raid only covers one paycheck—with less than $3.5 billion left for October 31 [3][7][12].

The diversion will delay key defense programs, including F-35 upgrades and missile-testing projects now facing funding gaps of up to $500 million [6][19].

Bottom line: Trump’s October 15 workaround ensured troops got paid—for now—but by breaking fiscal law and usurping Congress’s spending authority, he crossed a constitutional line no president has before [17][21][23][24].