Vice President JD Vance laid out a clear path forward for ensuring American service members receive their paychecks amid the ongoing government shutdown engineered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. During an appearance on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures, Vance explained that the administration would tap into tariff revenues collected by the Treasury to cover military salaries, bypassing the gridlock in Congress.
“A lot of this will come from incoming revenues to the Internal Revenue Service, tariff revenue, but also income tax revenue, that is going to make it possible for us to pay our troops,” Vance said. He tied the move directly to President Donald Trump’s trade policies, adding, “And this is another reason why President Trump’s decisive action on tariffs is one of the reasons why we have the money in the Treasury to actually be able to pay our troops.”
The shutdown, which began on October 1 and stretches into its third week, stems from Democrats’ refusal to pass a clean funding bill without attaching billions in subsidies for illegal aliens and non-citizens. Republicans, including Vance, argue this stance amounts to holding the military hostage to force through unrelated spending priorities that drain taxpayer dollars.
“You don’t use your policy disagreements as leverage to not pay our troops,” Vance stated in a separate comment last month, pointing to the broader fallout where Americans suffer because Democrats won’t back down.
President Trump echoed this resolve in a Truth Social post, directing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to use all available funds for the October 15 payroll.
“If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th,” Trump wrote. He continued, “We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS. I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown.”
Hegseth amplified the message on X, declaring, “President Trump delivers for the troops.”
This approach sidesteps congressional delays, drawing on revenues from tariffs that have bolstered the Treasury while promoting domestic manufacturing and job growth. Critics in the Democratic camp have downplayed the crisis, but the reality is stark: without intervention, over 1.3 million active-duty personnel face delayed pay, exacerbating financial strains on military families already grappling with rising costs.
Vance’s comments come as the administration warns of escalating measures, including deeper workforce reductions if the impasse drags on. Behind the scenes, some suspect Schumer’s hardline position serves dual purposes—appeasing progressive factions eyeing future elections while attempting to paint Republicans as inflexible. Yet the facts show Democrats tanked bipartisan efforts to extend funding, prioritizing migrant health programs over essential services. As the October 15 deadline looms, the use of tariff funds stands as a practical safeguard, ensuring those who defend the nation aren’t pawns in Washington’s games.
Why the National Debt Is the Looming Threat to Your Retirement Plans
The Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About
Every day, headlines warn about inflation, market volatility, and global instability—but the greatest looming threat to your retirement might be something far more fundamental: America’s skyrocketing national debt.
You can learn more about how the national debt affects you by reading this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“.
With debt growing faster than most Americans can possibly fathom, the government’s borrowing habits have reached historic—and dangerous—levels. To cover spending, Washington is making moves with their budget packages, tariffs, and taxes. Is it enough? No. It’s not even close to what would be necessary to stop out-of-control debt, let alone reverse it.
How Debt Erodes Your Nest Egg
There are only so many levers government and the Federal Reserve can pull to try to protect Americans, assuming that’s even a top priority for them. Unfortunately, pulling one level to relive one pressure invariably adds pressure from another direction. This is why prices keep going up even as inflation reportedly slows.
For retirees and pre-retirees, that’s a perfect storm. The dollars you’ve worked hard to save lose value, and your cost of living increases while your investments lag behind.
If you’re relying solely on paper-based assets—stocks, bonds, or mutual funds—you’re essentially tied to the same system that’s creating the problem. It’s a system that was designed to work well in the 20th century, not in today’s world with people living longer and the dollar rapidly losing value.
This is why the 3-minute report, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now,” is so important.
The Precious Metals Hedge
Thousands of Americans are looking for a tangible, time-tested hedge: physical gold and silver.
Unlike paper assets, precious metals aren’t dependent on government policy or the stock market’s mood swings. They’re real, finite resources that have maintained value for thousands of years through wars, recessions, and inflationary periods.
In fact, during times of high inflation and fiscal instability, gold often performs its best—because it’s seen as a store of value when faith in the dollar weakens. This is why prices have skyrocketed this year and are expected by many economists to continue going up in the future.
Take Control with a Gold IRA
One of the most effective ways to protect your retirement from national debt fallout is through a self-directed Gold IRA. This IRS-approved account lets you hold physical gold and silver within your retirement portfolio, giving you:
- Direct ownership of your assets
- A hedge against inflation and dollar decline
- The control to diversify beyond Wall Street
Augusta Precious Metals specializes in helping Americans just like you take this step with confidence. The company has earned a strong reputation for transparency, education, and personalized service—making it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
The Next Step: Secure Your Financial Future
Augusta Precious Metals has helped thousands of Americans with at least $50,000 to invest from their IRAs, 401(K)s, TSPs, and other retirement accounts safeguard their savings through precious metals.
If you’re concerned about what the rising national debt could mean for your future, now is the time to act.
Read this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“ and learn the simple steps you can take to protect your retirement.