Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Monday that members of the U.S. Coast Guard will receive their paychecks this week, even as the federal government remains partially shut down and most federal employees continue to go unpaid.
Calling the measure an “innovative solution,” Noem said the Department of Homeland Security — which oversees the Coast Guard — devised a legal workaround to ensure payments continue, according to NBC News. The move follows President Donald Trump’s weekend directive instructing the Department of Defense to guarantee active-duty military pay on Wednesday despite the funding lapse.
“President Trump did not want any of our military to go without pay as a result of Democrats’ political theater,” Noem wrote on Twitter. “We at DHS worked out an innovative solution to make sure that didn’t happen.”
While Democrats have played politics with military pay to fight for illegal aliens, the US Coast Guard has been defending our maritime borders, stopping the flow of deadly narcotics and illegal immigration into our country, and countering America's adversaries around the world.…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) October 13, 2025
Now approaching its second week, the shutdown has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay. Over the weekend, the White House Office of Management and Budget said it would temporarily redirect research and development funds to cover military salaries.
Last week, the administration confirmed more than 4,000 layoffs across multiple agencies — including 176 within DHS — according to a Justice Department court filing. Those actions have already drawn legal challenges.
Democrats appear to be supporting the shutdown because they want the GOP to break the filibuster, a rule the Senate that has blocked Democrats from radically overhauling society with simple bare majorities when they’re in power.
Everyone understands what the strategy is here, right? pic.twitter.com/rtFqBcptud
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) October 13, 2025
Noem’s announcement underscores the administration’s broader effort to blunt the most visible effects of the shutdown — from interrupted public services to mounting strain on federal families.
On Capitol Hill, negotiations remain gridlocked. The Senate reconvened Monday but failed to advance rival funding proposals, while House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has said the House will remain adjourned until the Senate produces a viable plan.
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Hooray Yes victory