Major airports across the United States, including those in New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta, have refused to display a video featuring Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The video, which began circulating last week, blames Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown and its impact on airport operations.
Many airport officials cited policies prohibiting political content and referenced the Hatch Act, which restricts political activities of federal employees and certain state and local employees working in federally funded programs.
In the approximately 30-second video, Secretary Noem states that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prioritizes providing a safe and efficient airport experience.
However, she blames Democrats in Congress for refusing to fund the government, resulting in many TSA employees working without pay.
Noem expresses hope that Democrats will recognize the importance of reopening the government soon.
Currently, over 61,000 of TSA’s roughly 64,000 employees are working without pay amid the shutdown, which has entered its second week.
Democrats argue that Republicans bear responsibility for the shutdown, citing the need to negotiate over health care premiums as part of federal spending agreements.
Airports that declined to show the video include LaGuardia, Newark Liberty, John F.
Kennedy, Charlotte Douglas International, Seattle-Tacoma, San Francisco, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Phoenix International, and Colorado Springs.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages New York City’s major airports, stated that longstanding policies prevent airing politically partisan messages on airport-controlled screens.
Portland International Airport in Oregon also refused to play the video, citing the Hatch Act and Oregon state law prohibiting public employees from promoting or opposing political parties or committees.
Other airports, such as Akron-Canton in Ohio, noted that their digital screens are reserved for static content related to wayfinding and essential travel information.
In response to the refusals, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reiterated that TSA’s top priority is traveler safety and efficiency, lamenting that most TSA employees are working without pay due to political gamesmanship and expressing hope for a resolution to reopen the government.