President Trump, first lady light National Christmas tree
The Trumps attend the 96th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting on the Ellipse at the White House.
Federal employees were offered an early holiday gift this year from President Trump when he signed an executive order that relieved workers from their duties on Christmas Eve.
The decree issued on Tuesday on the White House’s website declared that every executive department and agencies operating within the government “shall be closed and their employees excused from duty on Monday.”
However, the order did give authority to individuals who run those departments and agencies to have some employees stay on the clock on Dec. 24.
“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, 2018, for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need,” the executive order stated.
The director of the Office of Personnel Management was authorized to carry out the mandate, the White House said.
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