President Trump announced plans Thursday to use executive authority to pay Transportation Security Administration workers, sidestepping the legislative gridlock that has left federal employees without paychecks for weeks.
Trump said he would direct Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately restore TSA salaries, framing the action as necessary to prevent airport chaos. The move comes as the Department of Homeland Security shutdown extends into its second month, creating operational strains across the nation's aviation system.
The executive order potentially heads off a political liability: prolonged airport delays and service degradation that could fuel public frustration heading into the election season. Airport security wait times have already begun climbing as staffing problems worsen, with some agents quitting or calling out as unpaid work becomes unsustainable.
The maneuver also complicates Senate negotiations aimed at ending the shutdown through legislation. By acting unilaterally on the TSA issue, Trump removes a pressure point that negotiators might have used to broker a compromise deal on the broader DHS funding dispute.
Trump's announcement on Truth Social characterized the situation as a crisis requiring immediate intervention, blaming Democrats for the stalemate. The TSA staffing crisis has escalated sharply, with agents increasingly unable to sustain working without compensation.
The order, if executed as announced, would allow the nation's largest airport screening workforce to resume normal operations without waiting for Congress to resolve the underlying shutdown dispute.
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