White House Threatens To Maybe Pay Federal Workers, Or Nah?
Imagine being one of 750,000 federal employees told 'Donāt work, donāt get paid' by the government, yet now also warned the White House might clap back and withhold your promised back pay. Imelda Avila-Thomas from the Department of Laborās Wage and Hour Division ā the people who literally make sure you get paid right ā finds herself ironically texting coworkers: 'Is this legal? Should I quit?' This circus reached peak madness on October 7 when Trump said, 'It depends on who youāre talking about' if furloughed workers get paid, implying some deserve a bonus, others a boot. Meanwhile, half of Imeldaās colleagues already escaped or got pushed out, leaving a workforce 200,000 people smaller ā with 100,000 more scheduled to ghost by year-end. Even Sen. Thom Tillis says threatening to withhold pay is 'bad strategy,' which is fancy political speak for āthis is bonkersā.
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Federal workers get furloughed, then told their paycheck might be an urban legend. Meanwhile, White House promises: 'Weāll take care of some people... others? Weāre Houdini.' Paycheck roulette just got a new level of federal fun.
Threatening to not pay people who already arenāt getting paid is the administrative equivalent of stealing candy from a kid... except the kidās an entire government workforce.
White Houseās shutdown strategy: Furlough 750k workers, then ghost their promised paychecks harder than your last Tinder date.
Source: Axios | Published: 10/7/2025 | Author: Emily Peck
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