U.S. President Donald Trump looks on, as he and Apple CEO Tim Cook

In a sharp rebuke, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C) on Tuesday assailed the White House Office of Management and Budget for circulating a draft memo suggesting that furloughed federal workers may not automatically receive retroactive pay once a government shutdown ends.

The criticism comes amid divisions within the GOP over the handling of federal employee compensation.

According to The Hill, Tillis told reporters, “I think it’s a horrible message to send to people who are basically hostages right now to the Democrats shutting down the government, not agreeing to a clean [continuing resolution].”

He added, “I think it’s bad strategy.”

He warned the draft memo sends a distressing signal to those workers already sidelined. Many have now been furloughed and may be forced into debt just to make ends meet.

“I do think there’s some frustration from the White House but you’ve got these people who if they’re members of the credit union who may be borrowing money to pay their bills. Not everybody can draw out of retirement savings or something,” Tillis remarked.

The North Carolina Republican also targeted House Democrats, urging focus on what he framed as their internal inconsistency.

“We don’t have to go that far. Let’s focus on the real issue of the Democrats not having a rational basis” for the shutdown, he said, accusing the party of bowing to its most progressive wing.

“We’re not asking them for anything more than just funding at levels that they voted for in the past,” he continued.

The draft memo from OMB cites a narrow interpretation of the 2019 Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, arguing that only “essential” federal workers are guaranteed back pay under a shutdown scenario.

The memo’s exposure has stirred backlash on Capitol Hill, reigniting debates about the legal obligations owed to federal employees and deepening partisan tensions as lawmakers brace for a looming funding impasse.