Executive Order 13852: Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on December 5, 2018
President: Donald J. Trump
Closed most federal executive offices on December 5, 2018 for the national day of mourning for former President George H. W. Bush.
Status: Completed/expired. Is Executive Order 13852 still in effect? No. Executive Order 13852 was a one-day closure order for December 5, 2018, honoring former President George H. W. Bush. Its dated closure has ended; it did not create a recurring holiday or continuing closure policy. See EO 13852 signed text (opens in a new tab).
What does Executive Order 13852 do?
EO 13852 ordered executive departments and agencies to close on December 5, 2018 as a mark of respect for former President George H. W. Bush. Agency heads could keep offices or facilities open and require staff to report for national security, defense or other public needs. OPM subsequently issued pay and leave guidance for this particular closure; the order did not establish a recurring holiday.
Later primary evidence reviewed September 24, 2026: OPM issued pay and leave guidance for the December 5 national day of mourning, including exceptions for employees needed to keep operations running. Guidance explains the one-day closure; it does not establish any continuing closure policy.
Before and after
Before the order
The federal workday of December 5, 2018 had not been made a closure by this order; agency heads retained responsibility for necessary operations.
After the order
The one-day closure included an express exception for essential public operations.
OPM's December 2018 guidance addressed pay and leave for the closure, without creating a continuing holiday.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Executive department and agency heads | Close offices on December 5 except for offices and staff needed for national security, defense or other public needs. | December 5, 2018 |
| Office of Personnel Management | Issue pay and leave implementation guidance for the designated day. | December 2, 2018 |
What happened next
EO 13852 signed; the linked Federal Register record gives its published text.
OPM issued pay and leave guidance for the December 5 national day of mourning, including exceptions for employees needed to keep operations running.
Later primary evidence reviewed; the documented action and its limits were added to this guide.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The signed order and OPM — December 5 closure guidance document the directive and the dated subsequent step. Guidance explains the one-day closure; it does not establish any continuing closure policy.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- OPM — December 5 closure guidance (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 24, 2026. How we research →