Long airport queues to end soon? Trump moves to pay TSA officers ‘immediately’ amid DHS shutdown

President Donald Trump, on Thursday, announced plans to intervene directly in the ongoing funding impasse, signalling that he will order immediate payments to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers who have gone without salaries during the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s partial shutdown.

President Trump's proposed move, revealed in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, comes as mounting absenteeism among TSA personnel exacerbates already severe congestion at airport security checkpoints, raising concerns about both national infrastructure resilience and passenger safety.

Airport Disruptions Deepen as TSA Pay Crisis Worsens

TSA officers missed their first full paycheques in mid-March, triggering a sharp rise in staff absences. National callout rates have surpassed 11 per cent, with some airports reporting figures exceeding 40 per cent.

The airport staffing shortfall has contributed to what officials describe as the longest security wait times in US aviation history.

Trump Announces Plan for Immediate Payments

In his Truth Social post, Trump said he would direct newly sworn-in Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to take urgent action. “Immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation, ” The US President wrote on his Truth Social post.

Trump framed the intervention as necessary to mitigate disruption caused by the broader political standoff over immigration and federal funding, while sharply criticising Democratic lawmakers.

“The Radical Left Democrats, and their “Leader,” Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, have made it very clear where they stand, and that is, ON THE SIDE OF CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS, AND NOT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. They are refusing to fund Immigration Enforcement unless the Republicans agree to their Open Border Policies, which will never, ever happen again. They almost destroyed our Country, allowing 25 Million People to enter from Prisons, Mental Institutions, and Insane Asylums, those that are Drug Dealers, and thousands of Murderers, many of whom killed more than one person. Because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law to protect our Great Country, as I always will do! Therefore, I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation, and to quickly stop the Democrat Chaos at the Airports. It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it! I want to thank our hardworking TSA Agents and also, ICE, for the incredible help they have given us at the Airports. I will not allow the Radical Left Democrats to hold our Country hostage any longer. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”

Legislative Deadlock Fuels Crisis at US Airports

The disruption stems from a prolonged funding lapse at the Department of Homeland Security, after the Senate repeatedly failed to advance a House-approved bill that would finance the agency for a full year.

Democratic lawmakers have resisted the proposal, citing demands for changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement following a controversial surge in enforcement activity in Minneapolis and the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal officers.

Despite ongoing negotiations, there has been little sign of progress. A vote to advance the funding bill remained open on Thursday, though discussions among senators appeared to yield no breakthrough.

White House Signals Limited Options Without Congressional Action

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged that internal discussions are underway to mitigate the operational fallout, but emphasised that executive solutions remain uncertain.

“It is true that the White House is having discussions about a number of ideas to blunt the impact of the Democrat shutdown crisis, but no preparations or plans are currently underway. The best and easiest way to pay TSA Agents is to fund DHS,” Leavitt said.

Her remarks appeared to temper expectations around immediate administrative action, even as the president’s statement suggested a willingness to bypass legislative gridlock.

US Senators Weigh Emergency Powers as Recess Looms

The possibility of invoking emergency authority to fund TSA operations has surfaced in Republican discussions on Capitol Hill. When asked whether such a move was viable, Senator Susan Collins indicated that the decision ultimately rests with the executive branch.

“Well, the president has the authority, so we’ll see what happens.”

Meanwhile, efforts to pass a narrowly targeted bill to fund TSA alone have gained some bipartisan interest, though no formal proposal has advanced.

With the Senate scheduled to leave Washington DC for a two-week recess on Friday, uncertainty looms over whether lawmakers will reach a resolution in time to prevent further disruption.