Republicans holding government ‘hostage’, says White House spokesman

NSC spokesman John Kirby says shutdown would mean 1.3m troops will not get paid, significantly' affecting US military morale

Hard-right House Republicans are holding the entire US government hostage" as a shutdown appeared all but certain and could have a significant effect" on the morale of active duty US troops, the national security council (NSC) spokesman warned early on Friday.

John Kirby, the NSC spokesman, noted that 1.3m active duty military personnel will not get paid if the government shuts down, and added in an interview with ABC on Friday morning that hundreds of thousands of civilian Pentagon employees also will have to be furloughed.