
Donald Trump and the GOP have failed to protect military pay as President Obama did during the 2013 shutdown. But that's not what Pence told our troops deployed overseas.

The Trump administration's attempts to deflect blame for the Trump shutdown have ranged from comical to reckless, but Mike Pence may have set a new low bar by lying to servicemembers who are risking their lives.

While Donald Trump spends his weekend pretending to work for the cameras, Pence is on a Middle East trip that brought him face-to-face with troops stationed in Jordan, just across the border from war-torn Syria.

And during his remarks, Pence lied right to their faces.


"I'm sure you're all aware of what's going on in Washington D.C.," Pence said, referring to the shutdown. "Despite bipartisan support for a budget resolution, a minority in the Senate has decided to play politics with military pay."

"But you deserve better," Pence continued. "You and your families shouldn't have to worry for one minute about whether you're going to get paid, as you serve in the uniform in the United States. So know this, your president, your vice president, and the American people are not going to put up with it."

In fact, Trump has failed to protect military pay the way President Barack Obama did during the 2013 shutdown.

And when Democrats tried to protect the troops' pay and benefits this time around, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked that measure so that Trump could continue to exploit brave servicemembers as political props.

Trump has been destructive enough on his own, but Pence demonstrates his own willingness to stoop as low as it takes to enable him.

But he's right about one thing: we all deserve better.