Imagine being told not to worry about your paycheck during a government shutdown—especially when you’re serving your country. That’s exactly what President Trump told Navy sailors on Sunday, as the federal government entered its third day of a shutdown. But here’s where it gets controversial: Trump assured service members they’d receive “every last penny,” despite the shutdown he blamed on Democrats. “Don’t worry about it,” he repeated emphatically, addressing sailors at the Navy’s 250th-anniversary celebration. “As your commander in chief, I will always stand for you.” He even hinted at their overwhelming support for him, saying, “That’s why you voted for me in numbers nobody’s ever seen before.”
But this is the part most people miss: While Trump promised back pay, federal employees—including military personnel—are either furloughed or working without pay until the shutdown ends. The shutdown began Wednesday after congressional leaders failed to agree on a stopgap spending bill, leaving lawmakers scrambling for solutions. Federal departments have since pointed fingers, with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) explicitly blaming Democrats on its website, stating, “Mission-critical activities of HHS will continue during the Democrat-led government shutdown.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) defended his chamber’s actions, claiming, “The House did its job.” Last month, the House passed what Johnson called a “clean” and “nonpartisan” bill to fund the government through late November. “We sent it to the Senate,” he added during his appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation. But here’s the catch: The Senate has already rejected two funding bills twice last week, and they’re set to vote again on Monday. Will it be different this time?
Is it fair to blame one party for the shutdown, or is this a failure of bipartisanship? And while back pay is promised, what about the immediate financial strain on federal workers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this is a conversation that needs more voices.
