Democrats Force Government Shutdown — America’s Heroes Left Unpaid as Schumer Bloc Blocks Trump’s Spending Plan

In a stunning act of political obstruction, Senate Democrats late Tuesday blocked a House-passed spending plan, deliberately triggering a government shutdown just after midnight, defying President Donald Trump’s urgent call to keep America’s government funded and our troops paid.

The shutdown, which began early Wednesday, means hundreds of thousands of civilian workers and America’s active-duty service members will now continue defending the nation without pay, thanks to Democrat refusal to negotiate in good faith.

According to CBS News, active-duty military, deployed National Guard, and essential civilian personnel at the Department of War will continue reporting for duty—without pay—until Congress strikes a deal. Non-essential civilian employees will be furloughed.

The Department of War’s contingency guidance, released Friday in preparation for the expected Democrat blockade, confirms that over 406,000 civilian employees—more than half the department—are considered mission-critical and will remain on duty despite the financial strain.

The Trump administration had planned to use unused funds from the summer’s reconciliation bill to secure America’s Southern Border, bolster Middle East operations, expand the Golden Dome missile defense system, and fund shipbuilding and munitions crucial to national security. Democrats’ shutdown now jeopardizes all of these priorities.

Though Oct. 1 paychecks are reportedly protected, future pay—especially Oct. 15—could be delayed if the shutdown continues. The Defense Credit Union Council has already begun outreach to affected families, warning of possible loan, mortgage, and credit card disruptions.

“This shutdown was 100% avoidable,” said a senior Trump administration official. “But Democrats would rather play politics than pay our troops.”

Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans (VA) introduced the “Pay Our Troops Act of 2026” last month to ensure service members and the Coast Guard receive uninterrupted pay, but Democrats refused to move it forward before the shutdown deadline.

The House is not scheduled to reconvene until October 7, meaning the shutdown could drag on for days, leaving America’s heroes caught in the crossfire of Democrat dysfunction.

President Donald J. Trump has vowed to stand firm, calling on Democrats to stop “holding our soldiers hostage” and to fund the government responsibly—with America First priorities intact.

“This is about defending our troops, securing our border, and protecting American families,” President Trump declared Tuesday night. “Democrats have chosen chaos over country.”

The Capitol Times will continue to monitor the situation as President Trump works to restore funding, protect America’s defenders, and end the Democrat shutdown that never should have happened.