On Thursday, President Trump revealed his plan to implement an emergency directive aimed at ensuring TSA employees receive their salaries, in hopes of easing the bottleneck at the country’s busiest airports.
In an extensive post on Truth Social, Trump sharply criticized Democrats for their hesitation to allocate funds to the Department of Homeland Security. He assured that he would take measures to ensure TSA agents are compensated.
“Due to the Democrats’ reckless actions causing a genuine National Crisis, I am exercising my legal powers to safeguard our Great Nation, as I have always pledged to do!” Trump declared.
“I will be authorizing an Order directing Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to promptly pay our TSA Agents to tackle this Emergency Situation and to swiftly halt the Democrat-induced chaos at the airports. This task is challenging, but I am committed to accomplishing it!” he emphasized.
This announcement surfaced amid ongoing negotiations between Republicans and Democrats, who are racing against a weekend deadline to secure funding for the department, while TSA staff face a second month without salaries.
By invoking the National Emergency Act, the president has the potential to redirect unspent government resources to temporarily compensate TSA personnel, effectively circumventing Congressional approval.
Republicans have the majority in the Senate but lack the 60 votes needed to advance DHS funding in the legislative process.
Democrats have blocked funding for the department for the past month while trying to tighten rules on immigration enforcement tactics.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said on Thursday he was giving Democrats his “final” offer. His proposal would fund all of DHS except the part of ICE that handles enforcement and removal operations, a move he hoped would appease Democratic objections.
TSA workers have been calling in sick to protest the lack of pay. As a result, long lines at security checkin have caused backups at many airports.
Pressure is mounting for a solution as millions of Americans prepare to travel for spring break, as well as the Easter and Passover holidays.
