President Donald Trump’s recent executive order has turned the post-Christmas slump into an official extension of the holiday season, designating Friday, Dec. 26, as a federal holiday. While his directive has effectively shuttered federal offices for a rare five-day weekend, the rest of the economy is operating in a state of partial suspension, leading to a confusing situation about who, exactly, is back to business today.
Trump’s executive order, signed last week, closed executive departments and agencies on both Christmas Eve and today, Dec. 26. However, unlike statutory holidays established by Congress (like Christmas Day itself), this presidential decree applies strictly to the executive branch of the federal government. It does not legally bind the private sector, states, or even independent federal entities like the Postal Service.
