The United States will not be able to pay service members by the middle of next month if the government shutdown continues, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CBS News’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday.
“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,” Bessent said. “But by Nov. 15, our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives aren’t going to be able to get paid. What an embarrassment.”
Bessent emphasized that “it’s a global embarrassment what these Democratic senators are doing – keeping the government shut down. I mean, look at the numbers. It’s 52 to three, 52 Republican senators. Three Democratic senators have come across the line. So I just think it’s an embarrassment.”
The Treasury secretary said the shutdown is “starting to affect the economy. It’s starting to slow down air traffic. And I would urge moderate Democrats to be heroes, come across the aisle, like they did in the spring, and pass a clean CR [continuing resolution].
Bessent reiterated that “this is a Democratic-led boycott, and I’m just not sure what they’re doing. What’s changed between now and March, other than [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer’s poll numbers? And I think [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries is now going to be primaried from the left, and I didn’t think there was a lot of room over there.”
Bessent added that “both of them are worried about their primaries, and not the American people, not the government employees, not our military employees.”
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