Multiple US airports refuse to play Kristi Noem video blaming Democrats for shutdown
Airports across the country have been playing a video message, in which the Homeland Security Secretary blamed the Democrats for the shutdown, which has entered its third week
At least seven airports part of a growing list of air travel hubs refusing to play a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the federal government shutdown.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agency, recently distributed the video to be played at TSA checkpoints as the government shutdown approaches its two-week mark. Among the airports that have confirmed it is not broadcasting the message are Portland International in Oregon, Seattle-Tacoma and Spokane International Airport in Washington, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, and three different airports in New York.
It comes as the Trump administration ramps up ICE raids and the deployment of National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities across the country. Meanwhile, more than 750,000 federal workers remain furloughed as thousands of jobs are at risk of permanent axing.
In the video, Noem says, "Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.”
“We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel, and our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”
TSA agents are among many federal workers who have been expected to work without pay amid congressional disagreements over the federal budget. The workers are entitled to backpay, though the White House issued a memo suggesting that not all workers will receive payment after President Donald Trump said that some workers "don't deserve to be taken care of."
The airports participating in the boycott have said that they refuse to promote partisan politics on behalf of the Trump administration.
Portland International Airport officials cited the Hatch Act as grounds to refuse to use "public assets for political purposes and messaging," a local ABC News affiliate reports. The act makes clear that federal employees must maintain a "nonpartisan workforce."
The Port of Seattle, which operates Portland International Airport, told The Seattle Times in a statement that it would “not play the video on its screens at SEA Airport, due to the political nature of the content.
"We continue to urge bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown and are working to find ways to support federal employees working without pay at SEA during the shutdown," it added.
Airports across New York expressed similar feelings about promoting partisan political messages.
New York’s Westchester County Airport described Noem's video as “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, which controls Buffalo Niagara and Niagara Falls International airports, told a local NBC News station that it has a "long-standing policy" of refusing to use public service advertising for "partisan messaging."
Similarly, Phoenix Sky Harbor International officials told ABC15, "Consistent with airport policy, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport declined to post the video."
Democrats have raised concerns about President Trump's severe health care cuts in his Big Beautiful Bill as a primary reason why they are refusing to vote on the budget, sparking the shutdown.