Trump Directs Officials to Pay All D.H.S. Employees
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- President Trump signed a directive ordering the administration to pay all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees, aiming to end the agency's prolonged shutdown caused by congressional gridlock.
- The memorandum mandates compensation and benefits for DHS employees, including those at the Coast Guard, FEMA, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, who had gone unpaid for nearly two months.
- The directive followed House Republicans' refusal to approve a Senate funding plan for DHS, prolonging the shutdown despite earlier efforts to pay Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers under a similar order.
- Trump criticized Democrats for the impasse and emphasized the importance of paying DHS employees to maintain national security and emergency readiness.
- The shutdown had caused operational disruptions and financial struggles for critical public safety employees, highlighting vulnerabilities in national security and emergency response.
