President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday granting federal employees two extra days off around Christmas this year. The order made Christmas Eve
(December 24) and the day after Christmas (December 26) federal holidays. Christmas Day (December 25) was already a regular federal holiday. The decision gives many federal workers a three-day break during the holiday week. The White House said the move came as part of a broader set of policy decisions announced by the president in recent days. The order applies this year and does not permanently add the two days to the federal holiday calendar. The executive order officially closed federal offices on December 24 and December 26. Federal employees will not be required to work on those days unless their roles involve national security, defense, or other essential public needs. Agencies handling critical services may still require staff to report for duty.
Presidents have often given federal workers Christmas Eve off, either as a full day or a half day. However, it is uncommon for a president to grant both Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas off in the same year. This marks the first time in recent years that federal employees received two extra days off around the holiday.
Have Presidents Done This Before?
During Trump’s first term, he gave federal workers Christmas Eve off in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Former President Joe Biden granted Christmas Eve off in 2024.
In 2014, former President Barack Obama gave federal employees the day off on December 26 when Christmas fell on a Thursday, as it does this year.
Trump previously said the United States has too many non-working holidays. Despite that view, he has used executive orders in the past to grant one-time holidays to federal workers.
Earlier, Trump announced plans to move cannabis toward Schedule III classification, approved bonus checks for US military members, and discussed the possibility of tariff rebate checks.
