US President Donald Trump warned Tuesday that some workers placed on enforced leave during the government shutdown may not receive back pay if he deemed that they did not “deserve” the money.

The Republican leader made the remark when asked by reporters about a draft White House memo arguing that 750,000 employees expected to be furloughed are not guaranteed to get their money when they return to work.

“It depends on who we’re talking about,” Trump said. “I can tell you this, the Democrats have put a lot of people in great risk and jeopardy.”

US media reporting on the memo described it as the latest broadside in a campaign by Trump to pressure Senate Democrats into backing a Republican resolution to reopen the government.

Nonessential federal agencies began closing last Wednesday after

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