Pentagon May Tap Military Pay, Pensions for Border Wall

The Pentagon is planning to tap $1 billion in leftover funds from military pay and pension accounts to help President Donald Trump pay for his long-sought border wall, a top Senate Democrat said March 7. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, said the funds are available because Army recruitment is down and a voluntary early military retirement program is being underutilized. The Pentagon is planning to transfer money from various accounts into a fund dedicated to drug interdiction, with the money then slated to be redirected for border barriers and other purposes. The Army missed its recruiting goal last year, falling short by about 6,500 soldiers, despite pouring an extra $200 million into bonuses and approving some additional waivers for bad conduct or health issues. Read more about the plan on Military.com.