Musk offers to pay TSA workers as DHS funding lapse hits airports
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Elon Musk offered to cover the salaries of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel during the ongoing government funding standoff.
"I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country," Musk said in an X post on Saturday morning.
Musk's offer comes as a partial government shutdown passes one month, with lawmakers unable to reach a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the TSA.
The DHS shutdown has left TSA agents working without pay, triggering staffing shortages and long airport lines nationwide, while raising concerns about the ability to prevent attacks.
Republicans have pushed to fund DHS, while Democrats have sought standalone funding for agencies like TSA that would exclude immigration operations.
TSA officers are considered essential employees and are required to report to work even during a shutdown, though pay can be delayed.
Musk's offer appeared aimed at easing the strain as airport lines grow and staffing pressures build.
Major U.S. airports have experienced severe delays, with security wait times exceeding 3 hours in some cases, due to high TSA officer absenteeism. Hardest-hit airports include Houston (HOU, IAH), Atlanta (ATL), New Orleans (MSY), and Philadelphia (PHL).
Footage from PHL, shot early Thursday morning, showed hundreds of passengers waiting on elevators and escalators to clear a security checkpoint.
TSA workers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on March 13, 2025. (Annabelle GORDON / AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
It comes as a top TSA union leader warned Thursday that airport security risks linked to the shutdown are set to "get worse," given that TSA has been under a hiring freeze since last year.
It remains unclear how Musk's proposed arrangement would work or whether it would be legally possible for a private individual to fund federal workers.
Fox News' Ashley J. DiMella and Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
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Who has done more as a private citizen for America?
Paul Newman. His charity has provided half a billion dollars to needy causes and unlike Musk he never took government money to stuff his own pockets.
The Generosity of Paul Newman
Sam Adams.
Everyone/
That guy who sleeps outside the library.
It’s an incredibly generous idea but congress still has to appropriate it, which the democrats never will. Their whole strategy is too inflict as much pain as possible on Americans to ensure foreign criminals are protected from ever having to leave. No clearer example of party over country exists.
And to hurt the economy and sow endless chaos in order to win the midterm elections. The GOP at some point has to accept what usually happens in a midterm election, which is those who don't like the current administration are the most energized to vote. At this point I'd say the House is already lost to the radical dems. We need to do what is right without fear of political consequences.
Sounds ominous ... do digress.
‘Sounds ominous ...’
Doesn’t it, though? We just have to look at the past 10 years to see how true it is.
Vic is far more capable of fleshing out what he means. I'll await his reply.
At best Musk is trying to shame Congress into action. At worst he will get his money back with interest.
I hope he succeeds.
‘I hope he succeeds. ’
Most democrats don’t want him to succeed, nor do they want to pay TSA agents
It would take away their bargaining chip and damage the Republicans "won't pay for it" narrative.
Of course if it had to go through Congress they may very well shoot it down and try to spin it.
I guess that's why they wasted so much time trying to pass legislation to fund TSA?
Every Republican has voted yes to fund DHS, which TSA falls under. Every Democrat except Fetterman has voted no. Do you honestly think Democrats will introduce legislation to fund only TSA?
If Republicans did, democrats would still vote no because their main priority is to defund ICE, and they don't care how the American public suffers for it. Legislators get priority screen check and don't have to wait in line. They don't care.
Republicans reject Democrats’ effort to pay TSA by suspending Senate rules
GOP blocks Democrats' bid to fund TSA, FEMA amid DHS shutdown
I believe the concept is called compromise, something the Republicans have apparently abandoned in force.
This is a magic act on the behalf of the GOP.
It should be obvious (one wonders) to anyone with at least normal intelligence that ICE is Trump's private goon squad. It is his private little army to impose his will.
Why would Republicans agree to fund one part of a department when there are several others like the Coast Guard and FEMA that fall under the same department and are also not getting paid? You just don't hear about that.
Democrats will not fully fund DHS, or vote for the SAVE act, because they know their days of getting illegal alien voters, or getting closer to making them legal to vote, are twittering away.
Thank God for that...
You have already admitted that this is the way Republicans can blame the Dems for long TSA lines at the airport.
Non Stop daily at Fox, CNN and NBC....
Until ICE gets reined in.
Because States Rights are guaranteed in the Constitution, the states control their own elections. this is an attempt to bypass making a Constitutional Amendment.
Parroting the same old, same partisan BS doesn't make it true.
"Once the talking point goes out, nothing stops the parroting..."
A quote from a friend of yours, lol.
‘You have already admitted that this is the way Republicans can blame the Dems for long TSA lines at the airport’
And rightfully so.
‘Non Stop daily at Fox, CNN and NBC....’
You only hear about TSA. Very few, if anyone, has mentioned Coast Guard or FEMAor any of the other agencies under DHS. Democrats are stopping ALL funding because of their whining about ICE.
‘Because States Rights are guaranteed in the Constitution, the states control their own elections. this is an attempt to bypass making a Constitutional Amendment.’
Then let the courts hash it out. Democrats are well versed in using friendly courts to get their way.
‘Until ICE gets reined in.’
ICE does not need to get reigned in. They are doing what the majority of Americans want them to do….get rid of illegals.
‘Parroting the same old, same partisan BS doesn't make it true.’
One can say the same about your posts.
By avoiding the hard part, following the Constitutionally required legal requirements. No one I know wanted those three people shot dead; nobody wanted to see a 5 year old whisked away secretly on a Delta flight Or two year olds in detention centers.
Once in a while maybe, which I cannot say for you.
Where is my DOGE check?
Forget it, Trump always chickens out.
Imagine claiming that after he just attacked Iran. Unfathomable dedication to sticking to the script no matter how absurd reality makes it.
Once the talking point goes out, nothing stops the parroting...
The chickening out part with Iran would be to stop the escalation. Let’s hope Trump ‘chickens out’ since that would be the right move.
At Benjie's insistence, many weeks ago.
We weren't talking about you, at all, sorry
Just for you though we can change it to Taaco, Trump almost always chickens out, (or caves to Putin or Netanyahu),
same pronunciation, lol.
Taaco was going to obliterate Kharg Island until he changed his mind again; supposedly after talking to someone in iran.
Maybe this terrorist?
He “offered?” In an X post?
I don’t see anyone trying to stop him. What’s the hold up? Write the check!
The constitution is a thing,
Not according to trump it isn't.
Sorry Elon but your largesse is about to be Trumped by ICE checking bags Monday morning. Should be a day of 'fun'!
Still waiting for the big donation. Anyone see any money, yet? No? Nothing? Gee, I wonder why. Maybe cuz he’s full of 💩.