Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

A top US official on the Republican side has dared Congressional Democrats to oppose President Trump’s move to use $8 billion in previously appropriated Pentagon funds to pay service members during the ongoing government shutdown.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, over the weekend, President Trump directed the Pentagon to officially repurpose approximately $8 billion in funds from the Department of Defense’s research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDTE) accounts from the prior fiscal year. These funds, which had been allocated by Congress but remained unspent, were identified by Defense officials as a solution to ensure that military personnel would receive their mid-month paychecks on October 15 despite the ongoing government shutdown. The money is being redirected specifically to cover active-duty service member salaries, bypassing the usual requirement for Congress to authorize new spending during a funding lapse.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, House Speaker Mike Johnson is openly challenging Democrats to take legal action if they oppose it. “If the Democrats want to go to court and challenge troops being paid, bring it. OK,” Johnson said during a Capitol press conference. He argued that the administration had “every right” to move funds already appropriated by Congress, particularly those sitting unused in Pentagon research accounts, to ensure service members aren’t caught in the crossfire of political gridlock.

Johnson framed the move not only as lawful but also as morally imperative, saying, “I’m grateful for a commander in chief who understands the priorities of the country, the necessity of national defense, and the urgency that we all feel.”

Despite this, some are questioning the legality of Trump’s directive. Representative Jim Himes (D-CT) pushed back on the idea that the administration can unilaterally repurpose funds without Congressional authorization, telling CBS’s Face the Nation, “I think to pay the military during a shutdown would require legislation. The Speaker of the House has taken that off the table.”