US Government Shutdown

Donald Trump’s White House memo suggests furloughed workers may lose back pay as shutdown drags on, deepening financial strain across U.S. government agencies.

U.S. government shutdown entered its ninth day on Thursday October 9, 2025, with growing uncertainty over pay for hundreds of thousands of federal employees and contractors.

A draft memo circulating within the White House suggests that furloughed workers may not receive back pay for the days they have been forced off the job, breaking decades of precedent. The document argues that employees should only be compensated for “time actually worked” during the shutdown.

The proposal marks a …