Biden Blasted For Opposing Pay Raise For Low-Ranking Troops

President Joe Biden was blasted in droves after he opposed the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which sought to increase the basic pay of low-ranking troops in the military by 19.5% next year.

In a statement issued on Tuesday regarding administration policy, the White House Budget Office said that the plan would be too expensive.

The White House added in the statement that Biden “strongly opposes making a significant, permanent change to the basic pay schedule before the completion of the Fourteenth Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation (QRMC).”

His stance earned him criticism from many House Republicans with Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) slamming it as “completely insane.”

“I can’t understand that the rationale and in what universe it would make sense, either from a policy or from a political perspective. They’re actually going out of their way to say no to this and explain why this is a bad idea and it’s, it’s completely irrational and politically it’s actually suicidal,” he stated.

“This is a pay raise targeted at the E1 through E4 level, who are currently making literally $12 an hour, right now, which in California is about half of what the fast food workers make at McDonald’s,” Garcia added.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) believes that Biden’s take on the issue was “one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard come out of [Biden’s] mouth.”

“You got one out of eight ballistic guys on staff at food and water food banks, particularly in DC, San Diego. And we figured we worked hard to figure out would the price need to be to get them above that threshold,” he stated.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) also blasted Biden during a conversation with The Daily Mail, saying, “Joe Biden managed to become a multi-millionaire on a public servant salary. And he is snatching food out of our junior enlisted people’s mouths.”

Recalling how his wife needed WIC coupons to feed their children when he served as a Navy Seal, Van Order said, “It’s disgusting and reprehensible. I can’t feel more strongly about it. That is bulls****.”

In a post on X, Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) wrote, “President Biden OPPOSES our Republican proposal to give junior enlisted troops a 19.5% pay raise in the National Defense Authorization Act. It’s shameful. Our troops deserve our strongest support and deepest appreciation for their service to our country.”

President Biden OPPOSES our Republican proposal to give junior enlisted troops a 19.5% pay raise in the National Defense Authorization Act.

It’s shameful.

Our troops deserve our strongest support and deepest appreciation for their service to our country.

— Rep. Randy Feenstra (@RepFeenstra) June 14, 2024

According to Garcia, former President Donald Trump said that military pay would be a “front burner issue” when he discussed the matter with House Republicans on Wednesday.

“Everyone knows that we’re having challenges in our military right now. So why would you not support getting them to the equivalent of a minimum wage which the rest of the universe has in our country?” Trump reportedly said.