8 Billion From Other Resources: Pentagon to Pay Military Salaries

The US is temporarily reorienting research resources to support the military during the political crisis.

The US Department of Defense will temporarily use $8 billion in unused research and development (R&D) funds.

These funds should ensure the payment of salaries to the military during the long government shutdown, Breaking Defense reports.

According to President Donald Trump’s decision, Defense Secretary Pete Hagel has to allocate these funds to make payments on October 15th.

“I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th,” several international publications quoted Donald Trump as saying.

The funds in question are the remaining RDT&E (Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation) funds from the previous fiscal year.

This step was forced after two weeks of the US government shutdown, when some civilian employees of the Defense Ministry were sent on unpaid leave, while military personnel continue to serve without pay.

Previously, similar decisions were made by Congress, but this time the initiative comes directly from the Trump administration, which could cause political tension in Washington.

The Pentagon does not specify how long these funds will last and how this will affect programs to develop new weapons and technologies.

Breaking Defense analysts predict that some of the current R&D projects may be suspended or delayed.

As it was recently reported, the US budget for the Pentagon expired on September 30th, 2025.

Congress failed to pass a new budget or temporary funding, so the government partially shut down.