Trump Orders Pay for TSA Workers as Senate Voted to End Shutdown/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump said he will order immediate pay for TSA workers amid a funding impasse. Airport delays and worker shortages have intensified as lawmakers negotiate overnight. Senate-approved bill to fund DHS faces a perilous path in the House
Trump TSA Pay Order + Quick Looks
- Trump orders immediate TSA worker pay
- Senate-approved bill to fund DHS faces a perilous path in the House
- Airport delays worsen amid worker shortages
- 40% TSA callouts reported at some airports
- Nearly 500 TSA workers quit during shutdown
- Democrats demand limits on immigration enforcement
- GOP pushes broader Homeland Security funding
- White House considers emergency funding options
Deep Look: Trump Orders TSA Pay Amid Airport Disruptions
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will sign an order directing the Department of Homeland Security to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration workers, as lawmakers rushed to resolve a funding stalemate that has caused widespread airport delays and left thousands of employees without paychecks.
Trump revealed the move in a social media post, saying the administration needed to quickly address what he described as growing “Chaos at the Airports.” The decision comes as senators worked late into the night attempting to break a deadlock over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
According to a senior administration official, the president plans to use funds from his 2025 tax legislation to cover TSA worker pay. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move mirrors actions taken during previous government shutdowns when emergency measures were used to pay military personnel.
The White House had also considered declaring a national emergency to ensure TSA agents receive pay, but that option raised legal and political concerns. Instead, the administration opted for a more targeted funding approach.
Meanwhile, The Senate reached an agreement overnight to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, including the Transportation Security Administration, which has been plagued by resignations and sick calls as agents have been working without pay since February.
The House still needs to act on the measure before funded agencies within the department can reopen.
Hours before the Senate deal was reached, President Donald Trump said he is instructing DHS to “immediately pay” TSA agents. The move is part of an effort to relieve the tedious, hourslong waits that have left travelers stuck in lines that weave through airport atriums and spill outside before their security screening.
Here’s the latest to get up to speed:
- In addition to funding TSA, the Senate deal also funds most of DHS – except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border protection.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he’s not sure what the House will do with the Senate funding agreement as the holiday break looms. “Hopefully they’ll be around and we can get at least a lot of the government opened up again, and then we’ll, we’ll go from there,” he said.
- Following the overnight agreement, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was “very proud” his caucus “stood united” amid the shutdown. “Democrats held firm in our opposition that Donald Trump’s rogue and deadly, deadly militia should not get more funding without serious reforms, and we will continue to fight for those reforms,” Schumer said.
- As the funding situation remains uncertain, ICE agents are expected to continue to have a presence at multiple airports Friday. Since being sent to aid the maxed out security checkpoints earlier this week, the agents have been helping direct lines, passing out water and at some locations, verifying passenger IDs and boarding passes.
Democrats, however, have pushed back, demanding restrictions on the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts as part of any funding agreement. They have specifically resisted funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection while offering proposals to pay TSA workers and other DHS employees.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., defended the president’s action, saying TSA workers should not be caught in the political standoff.
“The president is doing absolutely the right thing,” Barrasso said. “The TSA agents are going to be paid.”
Airport Disruptions Intensify
The funding impasse has already caused significant travel disruptions nationwide. Some airports reported TSA worker callout rates exceeding 40%, while nearly 500 of the agency’s roughly 50,000 transportation security officers have resigned during the shutdown.
On Wednesday alone, more than 11% of scheduled TSA employees — over 3,120 workers — missed their shifts, according to Department of Homeland Security data.
At George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, passenger Melissa Gates waited more than two and a half hours for security screening and ultimately missed her flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
“I should have just driven, right?” Gates said. “Five hours would have been hilarious next to this.”
Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill testified before lawmakers that unpaid workers are facing severe financial hardship, including mounting bills, eviction threats, and even plasma donations to make ends meet.
“At this point, we have to look at all options on the table,” McNeill warned, including the possibility of airport closures if staffing shortages worsen.
Senate Negotiations Continue
Earlier Thursday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he presented Democrats with a “last and final” offer aimed at resolving the funding dispute. While details were not publicly disclosed, Thune said the proposal built on earlier negotiations that had stalled.
“Enough is enough,” Thune said.
However, progress remained slow as lawmakers continued private discussions.
Democrats have demanded additional safeguards on immigration enforcement operations, particularly after protests and incidents tied to immigration sweeps. Their proposals include requiring federal agents to wear identification, limiting raids near schools and churches, and requiring judicial approval before home searches.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has indicated openness to some changes, but Democrats are pushing for formal commitments in writing.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said negotiations must produce meaningful policy changes.
Trump Signals Further Action
Trump warned earlier Thursday that he may take additional steps if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement. The president suggested he could deploy National Guard troops to assist at airports and expand the use of immigration agents checking travelers’ identification.
“They need to end this shutdown immediately or we’ll have to take drastic measures,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, noted that alternative funding sources may exist to pay TSA workers and Coast Guard personnel without declaring a national emergency.
Meanwhile, Trump’s tax legislation passed last year included billions in funding for DHS, including $75 billion for immigration enforcement, ensuring those operations continue during the standoff.
Any final agreement is expected to require compromise, as both conservative Republicans and progressive Democrats remain divided on immigration enforcement funding and operational restrictions.
As negotiations continue, travelers nationwide face uncertainty, with lawmakers racing to prevent further disruptions to airport operations and national security screening.
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