Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., discusses the continuing partial authorities shutdown inflicting large airport disruptions nationwide on ‘The Backside Line.’
Elon Musk provided to cowl the salaries of Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) personnel in the course of the ongoing authorities funding standoff.
“I wish to provide to pay the salaries of TSA personnel throughout this funding deadlock that’s negatively affecting the lives of so many Individuals at airports all through the nation,” Musk stated in an X put up on Saturday morning.
Musk’s provide comes as a partial authorities shutdown passes one month, with lawmakers unable to achieve a deal to fund the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), which oversees the TSA.
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Elon Musk has provided to cowl the salaries of Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) personnel in the course of the ongoing authorities funding standoff. Musk is pictured talking onstage in Cannes, France. (Richard Bord/WireImage / Getty Photos)
The DHS shutdown has left TSA brokers working with out pay, triggering staffing shortages and lengthy airport traces nationwide, whereas elevating issues concerning the capability to forestall assaults.
Republicans have pushed to fund DHS, whereas Democrats have sought standalone funding for companies like TSA that may exclude immigration operations.
TSA officers are thought of important staff and are required to report back to work even throughout a shutdown, although pay will be delayed.
Passengers wait in a check-in line at Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport, because the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) continues to go unfunded, in Arlington, Virginia, March 16, 2026. (REUTERS/Kylie Cooper / Reuters Photographs)
Musk’s provide appeared geared toward easing the pressure as airport traces develop and staffing pressures construct.
Main U.S. airports have skilled extreme delays, with safety wait instances exceeding 3 hours in some circumstances, attributable to excessive TSA officer absenteeism. Hardest-hit airports embrace Houston (HOU, IAH), Atlanta (ATL), New Orleans (MSY), and Philadelphia (PHL).
Footage from PHL, shot early Thursday morning, confirmed a whole lot of passengers ready on elevators and escalators to clear a safety checkpoint.
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TSA staff at Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on March 13, 2025. (Annabelle GORDON / AFP through Getty Photos / Getty Photos)
It comes as a high TSA union chief warned Thursday that airport safety dangers linked to the shutdown are set to “worsen,” on condition that TSA has been beneath a hiring freeze since final 12 months.
It stays unclear how Musk’s proposed association would work or whether or not it could be legally potential for a personal particular person to fund federal staff.
Fox Information’ Ashley J. DiMella and Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
