Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on December 24, 2025, and December 26, 2025
Signed: December 18, 2025
Published: December 23, 2025
Document Number: 2025-23847
📋Summary
This executive order closes all federal executive departments and agencies on December 24, 2025, and December 26, 2025, excusing most federal employees from work on those days. It affects executive-branch agencies and their employees, with exceptions for offices that must stay open for national security, defense, or other public needs. Agency leaders can require certain employees to report to duty if needed, and the Office of Personnel Management is directed to carry out the steps needed to implement the closures. The order also clarifies that existing federal rules on pay and leave apply to these days and that it does not change agencies’ legal authorities or create new enforceable rights.
💼Business Impact
This order effectively creates a two-day federal shutdown around Christmas (Dec 24 and Dec 26, 2025), so businesses most affected are those that depend on federal offices being open: government contractors, importers/exporters and logistics firms (Customs/port-related interactions), regulated industries needing approvals (healthcare/life sciences, energy, aviation, finance), and any company relying on federal grants, permits, filings, or in-person services. Expect delays in processing times for permits, certifications, inspections, FOIA responses, grant reimbursements, and contract actions (award/mods/invoicing approvals), though certain national security/“public need” functions may remain staffed unevenly by agency. Immediate actions: move any time-sensitive submissions, renewals, bid questions, and meeting requests to before Dec 23 (or plan for the next business day after the closure), confirm with your contracting officer/regulator which functions will remain operational, and adjust staffing, shipping, and cash-flow plans (e.g., invoice earlier, build buffer for clearance/approval delays) to avoid end-of-year bottlenecks.
Full Text
Executive Order 14371 of December 18, 2025
Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on December 24, 2025, and December 26, 2025
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1 . 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, the day before and the day following Christmas Day, respectively.
Sec. 2 . The heads of executive departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must report for duty on December 24, 2025, or December 26, 2025, or both, for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need.
Sec. 3 . December 24, 2025, and December 26, 2025, shall be considered as falling within the scope of Executive Order 11582 of February 11, 1971, and of 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b) and other similar statutes insofar as they relate to the pay and leave of employees of the United States.
Sec. 4 . The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall take such actions as may be necessary to implement this order.
Sec. 5 . General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
( printed page 60546)(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Office of Personnel Management.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 18, 2025.