Could this be what was on their Iphones and why they were "reset to factory"?
The exact details of which government functions stop during a shutdown is determined by the Office of Management and Budget.[16] "Emergency personnel" continue to be employed, including the active duty (Title 10) military, federal law enforcement agents, doctors and nurses working in federal hospitals, and air traffic controllers.[16] For the Department of Defense, at least half of the civilian workforce, and the full-time, dual-status military technicians in the US National Guard and traditional Guardsmen (those on Title 32 status) are furloughed and not paid while the shutdown is in effect.[17][18] Members of Congress continue to be paid, because their pay cannot be altered except by direct law.[19] Mail delivery is not affected as it is self-funded and the funds are not appropriated by Congress.[20] Programs that are funded by laws other than annual appropriations acts (like Social Security) also may be affected by a funding gap, if program execution relies on activities that receive annually appropriated funding.[6]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdowns_in_the_United_States
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the President's Budget,[2] but OMB also measures the quality of agency programs, policies, and procedures to see if they comply with the president's policies and coordinates inter-agency policy initiatives.
The current OMB Director is Mick Mulvaney. The OMB Director reports to the President, Vice President and the White House Chief of Staff.
The White House confirmed Friday night that Mick Mulvaney will stay on as the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) even after he takes over as President Trump's acting chief of staff.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/421520-mulvaney-will-stay-on-as-white-house-budget-chief
And it's POTUS, Pence, Mulvaney & Gen. Kelly who make the decisions as to what stays open and what closes, etc.
The exact details of which government functions stop during a shutdown is determined by the Office of Management and Budget.[16] "Emergency personnel" continue to be employed, including the active duty (Title 10) military, federal law enforcement agents, doctors and nurses working in federal hospitals, and air traffic controllers.[16] For the Department of Defense, at least half of the civilian workforce, and the full-time, dual-status military technicians in the US National Guard and traditional Guardsmen (those on Title 32 status) are furloughed and not paid while the shutdown is in effect.[17][18] Members of Congress continue to be paid, because their pay cannot be altered except by direct law.[19] Mail delivery is not affected as it is self-funded and the funds are not appropriated by Congress.[20] Programs that are funded by laws other than annual appropriations acts (like Social Security) also may be affected by a funding gap, if program execution relies on activities that receive annually appropriated funding.[6]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdowns_in_the_United_States
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the President's Budget,[2] but OMB also measures the quality of agency programs, policies, and procedures to see if they comply with the president's policies and coordinates inter-agency policy initiatives.
The current OMB Director is Mick Mulvaney. The OMB Director reports to the President, Vice President and the White House Chief of Staff.
The White House confirmed Friday night that Mick Mulvaney will stay on as the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) even after he takes over as President Trump's acting chief of staff.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/421520-mulvaney-will-stay-on-as-white-house-budget-chief
also, Midnight Dec. 21st potential Shutdown
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/congress-passes-bill-to-keep-government-running-through-dec-21/