Shutdown

 NBC News  - President Donald Trump said that he was directing Defense Department officials to pay members of the military next week, despite the ongoing federal government shutdown.

"I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th. We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS," Trump wrote in a post on TruthSocial.

This comes as Trump administration officials and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have voiced concerns that service members would not receive a paycheck.

Axios - The Trump administration has begun its much-anticipated layoffs of federal workers 

President Trump has repeatedly threatened to use the shutdown to fire thousands of federal employees.

• "We'll be making cuts that will be permanent. And we're only gonna cut Democrat programs," Trump said yesterday at the White House. "We'll be cutting some very popular Democrat programs that aren't popular with Republicans, frankly, because that's the way it works."

An OMB spokesperson confirmed the RIFs have started, and are substantial.

• The aide declined to specify which departments are affected. But spokespeople for HHS and Treasury confirmed to Axios that layoff notices have been sent out.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) said in a statement that it has sued the administration, and won't stop fighting until every layoff notice is rescinded.

• "It's time for Congress to do their jobs and negotiate an end to this shutdown immediately," the union said.  Get the latest.