A draft White House memo argues that furloughed federal workers are not entitled to back pay after the government shutdown lifts, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told NBC News.

The Trump administration has escalated its political battle with the Democrats by firing federal workers in response to the government shutdown that began last week.

"A shutdown does not give Trump or Vought new, special powers to cause more chaos or permanently weaken more basic services for the American people, and the simple fact is this administration has bee...