The executive order mandates the closure of all federal executive departments and agencies on December 24, 2025 and December 26, 2025, with employees excused from duty.

Timeline

1. Update · Dec 27, 2025, 10:16 AMcomplete
   Claim: A presidential executive order directs closure of executive departments and agencies on December 24 and December 26, 2025 and excuses employees from duty. The Order was signed Dec. 18, 2025 and published in the Federal Register (Dec. 23, 2025); it states agencies shall be closed and employees excused on those dates but explicitly allows agency heads to keep specific offices or employees on duty for national security, defense, or other public‑need reasons and ties pay/leave treatment to existing statutes. The Office of Personnel Management issued implementing guidance treating the days under existing pay/leave authorities and instructing agencies on exceptions and mission‑essential staffing. Verdict: the Order was issued and implemented as claimed, but the claim omits the statutory carve‑outs and agency discretion for mission‑essential employees.
   • White House executive order 2025-12-18: full text (directs closure and excusal; preserves exceptions) - https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/providing-for-the-closure-of-executive-departments-and-agencies-of-the-federal-government-on-december-24-2025-and-december-26-2025/
   • Federal Register / GovInfo publication (Presidential Documents) 2025-12-23: official FR notice of the Order - https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-12-23/pdf/2025-23847.pdf
   • U.S. Office of Personnel Management implementing memo (pay/leave guidance) 2025-12 (OPM CHCOC memo): explains pay/leave treatment and agency authority for mission‑essential employees - https://www.opm.gov/chcoc/published-memos/closing-of-federal-government-departments-and-agencies-on-wednesday-december-24-2025-and-friday-december-26-2025.pdf
2. Update · Dec 26, 2025, 11:54 AMcomplete
   Claim restatement and timeline: The White House published an Executive Order on December 18, 2025, directing that "All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed and their employees excused from duty on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, and Friday, December 26, 2025." Implementation: the Office of Personnel Management issued a CHCO/OPM memorandum implementing the order and federal agencies published guidance after the order. Implementation in practice: most executive departments and agencies treated those dates as closures and excused employees from duty, consistent with the order and OPM guidance. Exceptions and caveats: Section 2 of the order explicitly permits agency heads to keep offices or employees working for national security, defense, or other public need; agencies such as the Social Security Administration and the IRS publicly announced they would staff some operations and solicit volunteers to work those days. Assessment: the executive order was issued and formally implemented (the directive to close and excuse employees was enacted), and most agencies complied while exercising the EO's authorized exceptions for mission‑critical operations. Verdict rationale: because the EO and implementing OPM guidance were issued and the closures occurred subject to the EO's built‑in exceptions, the claim that the executive order mandates closure and employees are excused is fulfilled.
   • White House executive order (2025-12-18): https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/providing-for-the-closure-of-executive-departments-and-agencies-of-the-federal-government-on-december-24-2025-and-december-26-2025/
   • OPM CHCO Council memorandum (Dec 18, 2025): https://www.opm.gov/chcoc/published-memos/closing-of-federal-government-departments-and-agencies-on-wednesday-december-24-2025-and-friday-december-26-2025.pdf
   • Federal Register notice (Dec 23, 2025 filing): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/23/2025-23847/providing-for-the-closing-of-executive-departments-and-agencies-of-the-federal-government-on
   • Government Executive summary of implementation (Dec 18, 2025): https://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2025/12/feds-will-have-dec-24-and-dec-26/410226/
   • Federal News Network reporting on SSA/IRS staffing (Dec 22, 2025): https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/12/social-security-will-stay-open-on-extra-holidays-trump-granted-to-most-federal-employees/
   • USDA FSIS notice referencing the Presidential action (Dec 19, 2025): https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/fsis-notice/41-25
3. Scheduled follow-up · Dec 26, 2025
4. Scheduled follow-up · Dec 26, 2025overdue
5. Completion due · Dec 26, 2025
6. Original article · Dec 18, 2025
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