- Trump Vows Service Members Will Be Paid, Blames Democrats for Shutdown
- Accusing them of prioritizing illegal immigrants over American troops
- His support for using the National Guard to tackle crime in major US cities
Despite a government shutdown that could halt pay for many service members, President Donald Trump visited one of the world’s largest naval bases in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sunday to mark the 250th anniversary of the US Navy.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that addressing thousands of sailors, Trump assured them they would receive their pay and blamed Democrats for the shutdown.
“We will get our service members every last penny. Don’t worry about it,” he told the cheering crowd.
The Defense Department had earlier informed personnel that payments would stop after September 30 unless Congress passed a funding bill, according to a memo obtained by CNN.
Trump, joined by First Lady Melania Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, pledged across-the-board pay raises for all US service members. He also criticized Democrats, accusing them of prioritizing illegal immigrants over American troops.
The event, titled “Titans of the Sea,” was part of Trump’s effort to honor the armed forces ahead of next year’s national semiquincentennial.
Earlier in the year, he hosted a massive parade in Washington for the Army’s birthday, which drew both praise and criticism for allegedly politicizing the military.
During his Norfolk speech, Trump repeated his support for using the National Guard to tackle crime in major US cities. He cited deployments to Chicago, Memphis, and Portland, though a judge had temporarily blocked his plan to send troops to Portland. California Governor Gavin Newsom has vowed to challenge Trump’s move in court.
Standing near the USS Kearsarge and USS Harry S. Truman, which recently returned from deployment in the Red Sea, Trump praised the Navy’s strength but said the military needed to build more and better-looking ships.
“I’m a very aesthetic person,” he told military leaders last week. “Some of the ships you’re doing are ugly.”
The celebration continued unaffected by the shutdown, with thousands of sailors in dress whites gathered as Trump hailed America’s “cutting-edge fleet” and called on the next generation to carry the nation’s strength across every ocean.
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