Politics

Trump Promises Military Pay Amid Shutdown, Vows National Guard Deployment to Combat City Crime

Trump vowed military pay during a shutdown, criticized Democrats, and discussed National Guard deployments to cities.

October 6, 2025, 9:04 AM

President Trump speaks at a podium in front of the USNS Comfort hospital ship

President Donald J. Trump addresses the crowd at a podium, with the USNS Comfort hospital ship visible in the background. By Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock.com.

Executive Summary

President Donald Trump assured service members at Naval Station Norfolk that they would receive their pay despite an ongoing government shutdown, which he attributed to Democrats, and announced support for across-the-board pay raises for all US Armed Forces personnel.

Trump discussed his administration’s deployment of the National Guard to address crime in American cities, including Chicago, Memphis, and Portland, facing legal challenges to these deployments.

President Trump expressed a desire to add more than a dozen ships to the Navy’s fleet through increased military spending and proposed using US cities as training grounds for the military.

The Story So Far

The current events unfold against the backdrop of an ongoing government shutdown, which President Trump attributes to Democrats and which has raised concerns about military pay, prompting his assurances to service members. Concurrently, Trump’s administration has been actively pursuing a policy of deploying the National Guard to American cities to combat crime, a move that has faced significant legal and local opposition, while also advocating for increased military spending and the expansion of the Navy fleet as part of his broader defense agenda.

Why This Matters

President Trump’s assurances regarding military pay amidst an ongoing government shutdown highlight the continued political gridlock and its direct impact on federal employees, while his rhetoric against Democrats intensifies partisan divisions. Concurrently, his assertive deployment of the National Guard to cities, even overriding state governors, signals an escalating trend of federal intervention in local governance and crime, likely leading to further legal challenges and federal-state tensions. Moreover, his call for significant military expansion and the controversial concept of using cities for military training point towards a robust focus on military power and a potentially more interventionist approach to domestic security.

Who Thinks What?

President Donald Trump assured service members they would receive their pay despite the government shutdown, which he attributed to Democrats, and announced support for military pay raises and expanded Navy fleet capabilities, while also advocating for National Guard deployments to combat crime in American cities.

Democrats and some local officials, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, have challenged or legally blocked President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to cities, indicating opposition to federal intervention.

President Donald Trump visited Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sunday, October 5, 2025, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the US Navy. During his address aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, Trump assured service members that they would receive their pay despite an ongoing government shutdown, which he attributed to Democrats. He also announced support for across-the-board pay raises for all US Armed Forces personnel and discussed the deployment of the National Guard to address crime in American cities.

Addressing the Government Shutdown and Military Pay

During his remarks, President Trump directly addressed concerns regarding the government shutdown’s impact on military pay. He stated, “We will get our service members every last penny. Don’t worry about it,” drawing applause from the crowd. This assurance followed a late September memo from the Defense Department, which informed active-duty and reserve military members that they would not be paid after September 30 until Congress approved agency funding.

Trump used the occasion to openly criticize Democrats, likening them to a “gnat” on his and the Republican Party’s shoulders. He accused them of wanting to allocate funds to “illegal aliens” rather than prioritizing military needs. The event also saw participation from First Lady Melania Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who both delivered remarks.

National Guard Deployments and City Interventions

President Trump also highlighted his administration’s deployment of the National Guard to US cities, asserting that he would send “whatever is necessary” to combat crime. He previously authorized hundreds of National Guard members for deployment to Chicago, Memphis, Tennessee, and Portland, Oregon.

A judge temporarily blocked the deployment plan for Portland on Saturday, but Trump subsequently ordered the California National Guard to deploy to Oregon instead. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has indicated plans to challenge this deployment legally. Trump’s remarks on these deployments did not elicit a significant response from the Naval Station crowd, who primarily applauded references to the Navy’s strength and military pay raises.

Navy Fleet Expansion and Training

The event, titled “Titans of the Sea,” was intended to showcase the Navy’s capabilities and inspire future service members. President Trump spoke alongside the USS Kearsarge and the USS Harry S. Truman, the latter having recently returned from a deployment in the Red Sea.

In the preceding week, Trump had also convened an unusual in-person gathering of military brass in Quantico, Virginia. There, he expressed a desire to add more than a dozen ships to the Navy’s fleet through increased military spending, while also criticizing the aesthetics of some existing ships. During the same Quantico event, Trump proposed using US cities as training grounds for the military, a concept that has since been followed by increased federal law enforcement intervention in cities like Portland and Chicago, often against the wishes of local leaders.