Earlier, I covered how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to shut down TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, due to the partial government shutdown. Well, there’s an update, which I guess shouldn’t come as a surprise at all.
In this post:
TSA PreCheck will remain open after all, of course
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has just released a statement that PreCheck checkpoints won’t be closed after all. Instead, we’re being told that these situations will be handled on a case by case basis:
At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public. As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly. Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies.
There’s no news yet on whether Global Entry is suspended or not.
Why is the level of incompetency so high?
You know, I started my post about the policy change by writing the following:
This doesn’t strike me as being terribly logical, or as a winning strategy politically… but maybe it’ll get reversed within hours, kind of like that El Paso Airport (ELP) shut down?
I was only sort of being sarcastic, but I guess not really, because of course this is how things play out. Reports suggest that airlines and the TSA were caught completely off guard by this announcement, so one wonders how half-baked this idea was. Or let’s be honest, there’s nothing to “wonder” here — this wasn’t even half-baked, that’s giving them too much credit.
You’ve gotta love the people who came out in support of this. One of the OMAAT community’s most prolific commenters described this as “bargaining on a level most of us can never hope to achieve.” Indeed, fabulous job to President Trump and Secretary Noem for this exceptional achievement… talk about the art of the deal! Are we tired of “winning” yet, and of being the envy of the world?
Bottom line
Good news… TSA PreCheck lanes aren’t closing after all. Because as it turns out, if you anticipate having a staffing shortage, increasing the average amount of time it takes to screen each passenger isn’t a best practice. One seriously has to wonder how this country even semi-functions, when we have such mind-bogglingly dumb policies put in place, only to then be reversed hours later.
Which Trump policy did you prefer — the one where they put this rule in place, or the one where they reversed course hours later?
The M.O. for a lot of the "unqualified little maga boys" in this regime is incompetent but sneering attempts to retaliate against their "enemies" even when it's completely contrary to the job (and to their sworn oaths). Trying to make those people educated enough to want to travel suffer, because clearly smart people are blue voters, I'd guess.
After they did this on a weekend (substance abuse bender I'd bet), in the morning light, somebody...
The M.O. for a lot of the "unqualified little maga boys" in this regime is incompetent but sneering attempts to retaliate against their "enemies" even when it's completely contrary to the job (and to their sworn oaths). Trying to make those people educated enough to want to travel suffer, because clearly smart people are blue voters, I'd guess.
After they did this on a weekend (substance abuse bender I'd bet), in the morning light, somebody slightly older and wiser realized what the firestorm of criticism implied and walked it back. But sadly they're still trying to keep the global entry part of the ban. I guess they think no good red cultist would be coming from another country!
Good god, are you alright? you sound like you have some real anger issues.
Why is it laughable? they obviously re evaluated, and decided to change. Is that not a good thing? people should not laugh at people for making mistakes, recognizing them, then fixing them. Im glad the lines are open again and personally do not think they should have closed them to start with.
It's laughable for not having been thought out at all, some kneejerk little maga trying to ingratiate themselves in a way that made all of them look even dumber than usual. Keep smarter company, this shouldn't have taken even a fraction of a second to process for somebody visiting a travel blog...
I am pretty sure they did not roll it back based on a travel blog.
Global Entry is (with a few exceptions) for US citizens returning from abroad - mostly liberals who are interested in foreign travel. Stays closed.
Pre-Check includes all travel, including domestic flights between red states. Remains open.
People who actually matter to this (or any other) administration don't fly commercial anyway. Pander to the base, punish the opposition - what else is new?
Huh, so only lefties have passports and travel abroad… fascinating, because that Save Act, which Republicans seem eager to pass, would cause a lot of wives of conservatives to need to have passports to vote… seems like a bad strategy.
Also, if pettiness, vindictiveness, and retribution is the new standard operating procedure, it’s gonna be real ‘fun’ when Dems take control again (yeah, you think they won’t, but they will). Like, maybe we’ve had...
Huh, so only lefties have passports and travel abroad… fascinating, because that Save Act, which Republicans seem eager to pass, would cause a lot of wives of conservatives to need to have passports to vote… seems like a bad strategy.
Also, if pettiness, vindictiveness, and retribution is the new standard operating procedure, it’s gonna be real ‘fun’ when Dems take control again (yeah, you think they won’t, but they will). Like, maybe we’ve had enough mass shootings, and it’s time for confiscation of all your guns, like they always feared (but didn’t do anything when your own team started murdering citizens like in MN). Food for thought. Over-reach breeds more over-reach. Scale it back? Probably won’t. Sad.
It is actually true that the SAVE act would disenfranchise more Republicans than Democrats, both because (1) there are a higher percentage of Republicans without passports (because they are insular and often poor) and (2) married Republican women are more likely to take their husbands' last names (so their names don't match their birth certificates). So yes, it's hilarious that Republicans are pushing it; (also because remember when Republicans liked "states' rights"?). But my guess...
It is actually true that the SAVE act would disenfranchise more Republicans than Democrats, both because (1) there are a higher percentage of Republicans without passports (because they are insular and often poor) and (2) married Republican women are more likely to take their husbands' last names (so their names don't match their birth certificates). So yes, it's hilarious that Republicans are pushing it; (also because remember when Republicans liked "states' rights"?). But my guess is that they simply wouldn't enforce it in red states or red districts in blue states.
@1990: "Over-reach breeds more over-reach. Scale it back? Probably won’t. Sad." Completely agree with your sentiment. I wish either side would scale back the over-reach, I just don't see it happening in a system where primary elections encourage polarization, and social media algorithms create (dis)information bubbles.
Both-sidesing on this issue is really pathetic.
Latest is that Global Entry is suspended while apparently PreCheck continues:
https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-tsa-precheck-global-entry-dc1d2ccd913a74fa2c8b91dad340a3b3
So let me get this straight. The administration thinks it's a winning move to suspend, for no valid reason, a benefit that people pre-pay for... which, if a company did, would be called fraud. On top of that, the whole reason why you pre-pay for Global Entry is so that the cost of the program is borne by the users, not the...
Latest is that Global Entry is suspended while apparently PreCheck continues:
https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-tsa-precheck-global-entry-dc1d2ccd913a74fa2c8b91dad340a3b3
So let me get this straight. The administration thinks it's a winning move to suspend, for no valid reason, a benefit that people pre-pay for... which, if a company did, would be called fraud. On top of that, the whole reason why you pre-pay for Global Entry is so that the cost of the program is borne by the users, not the taxpayers. So a funding logjam in Congress should have no effect, as their appropriation is not needed to cover the costs.
It might be a winning strategy because they'll hang it around the Democrats' necks -- they wouldn't vote for the funding.
What's laughable is the previous admin claiming they couldn't do anything about the 20M unvetted illegals crossing the border, who they provided housing, food, medical care and cash gift cards for, all bc they thought it benefitted them politically despite being bad for our country. Somehow magically the next admin came in and the spigot immediately turned completely off. Weird. So then this admin tries to reverse the actions by lawfully removing those here illegally,...
What's laughable is the previous admin claiming they couldn't do anything about the 20M unvetted illegals crossing the border, who they provided housing, food, medical care and cash gift cards for, all bc they thought it benefitted them politically despite being bad for our country. Somehow magically the next admin came in and the spigot immediately turned completely off. Weird. So then this admin tries to reverse the actions by lawfully removing those here illegally, and the left laughably obstructs (illegally). Then Dems, who lost the election completely mind you, demand all their extreme wish lists or else they will again shut down the government.
You fret over pre check, but turn a blind eye to how we got here. That's laughable if it wasn't so pathetic.
That's an absolutely impressive number of delusions and logical fallacies. Too bad "maga cult devotion" isn't an Olympic sport - you'd be a medalist for sure.
Recall that Mantis abandoned the US and fled to Asia, where he now goes on travel sites pushing Republican extremism. He’s probably one of them Passport Bros. You in Thailand? Bali? Philippines? How’s the adobo?
Watch out. This is a OMAT blog. Prepare for abuse.
100% agree with you, fellow righteous rule-of-law back-the-blue patriot!
so first on the list is that illegal immigrant named Melania Trump! She came on a bullshit Einstein visa, was introduced to Trump by that his BFF Epstein, and then violated everything anyway by working illegally before she got a (fraudulent, stealing-jobs-from-Americans) work visa. And since she's an illegal, Barron is an anchor baby, so let's deport him too!
When are they being sent to El...
100% agree with you, fellow righteous rule-of-law back-the-blue patriot!
so first on the list is that illegal immigrant named Melania Trump! She came on a bullshit Einstein visa, was introduced to Trump by that his BFF Epstein, and then violated everything anyway by working illegally before she got a (fraudulent, stealing-jobs-from-Americans) work visa. And since she's an illegal, Barron is an anchor baby, so let's deport him too!
When are they being sent to El Salvador? Or does your rule-of-law sanctimony only extend to brown illegals?
Arrived at IAD today, GE and MPC were closed. Staff announced it at the bottom of the escalators.
The level of corruption and incompetence of this administration is without precedent. #taco #bananarepublic
Global Entry requires zero staff. Last exit involved standing in front of a camera for 10 seconds and exiting immigration. I don't think I pulled out the passport or interacted with the immigration staff.
What about getting global entry in the first place?
I paid for it but never got it as the appointment part is a PITA.
Turns out my travel pattern is go abroad and stay gone a long while or stay in the United States.
Yeah, what a great idea instead of getting the people through real quick that have TSA pre-check no we will spend extra time now screening them and sending them through the nudeascope and take longer to screen their bags. That’s a great strategy.
Oh…I was going to ask for a refund!
Rather than get into politics, let me just point out;
yes, of course Pre-check lines process more passengers per hour. The problem is that each aisle requires multiple TSA agents to function and if they are short one, the aisle can not be. Thus this was a management decision to keep things able to function, albeit not as smooth as normal. Personally, I believe any assumption or insinuation that this came from the President is pure political trash.
You would clearly be fired from the Chic Fil A drive through planning committee.
You obviously have no concept of how these systems work. In the case of TSA if you can pass through 6 people with two agents at PRE versus 6 people with three agents at regular, all in the same time, you are maximizing utilization of manpower. This is not brain surgery.
Who is insinuating that this came from Trump? He just appoints the people who make these decisions, and then he falls asleep while they go about their business. Give him a break, he's an old man.
The buck stops at the top. Trump chose the losers that are running operations so ultimately HE is responsible for everything they do.
Isn’t Global Entry run by CBP, which isn’t affected by the holdup in DHS funds? These people really think their base is dumb enough to believe anything. The sad part is MAGA really is that stupid.
The worst and most incompetent president (if you can call him that) and administration in the history of the country.
maga deplorables - before you swarm in to defend your orange turd cult leader, just think (I know it's something hard for you to do) that jim jones' retards also thought to the very end that he was the best.
Do you really think MAGA deplorables know who Jim Jones is?
A large portion of MAGA are Jeebus Freaks who would have followed Jim Jones to the last glass of Flavor-Aid (not Kool-Aid).
Local TSA leadership did not comply with the directive to suspend TSA Pre-Check. How good would it have looked for the Administration had it not reversed course?
Ben - I read your initial post and didn’t see an announcement from DHS about suspending TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. I only saw a statement from the administration about suspending special privileges and escorts to focus on the general public. Did the administration really reverse course after 3 hours? Or did they simply respond to democratic talking points claiming that TSA PreCheck and Global Entry had been suspended to clarify that this has not...
Ben - I read your initial post and didn’t see an announcement from DHS about suspending TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. I only saw a statement from the administration about suspending special privileges and escorts to focus on the general public. Did the administration really reverse course after 3 hours? Or did they simply respond to democratic talking points claiming that TSA PreCheck and Global Entry had been suspended to clarify that this has not happened. From what you’ve posted I can’t tell.
"Hail to the Chief", maga style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pct1uEhAqBQ
Unless something changed, TSA workers are not allowed to strike during a shutdown (which is not cool for them) so this was never about staffing. Just a punitive measure against the traveling public that was going to backfire if implemented.
They aren't allowed to strike when DHS is funded, either. That's why they just call in sick. And air traffic controllers have to be given a bonus if they don't.
TSA employees will continue to be beaten until their morale improves. The message they were sent is that slowing down the lines and raising public frustration, at a time when they are not sure when they will receive their next paycheck, is not a concern because management knows most of them vote Democratic.
The military is allowed to disobey illegal orders. TSA, despite their uniforms, is not allowed to disobey idiotic ones.
the only thing that is more pathetic than laughable is the number of people not just here but in any society that think that railing against one side while ignoring the flaws and defects of the other makes their point valid; it actually shows how incredibly naive they are.
I have lived through gas lines that lasted for weeks in the 70s; a "trumped up" war in the Middle East that had no real evidence,...
the only thing that is more pathetic than laughable is the number of people not just here but in any society that think that railing against one side while ignoring the flaws and defects of the other makes their point valid; it actually shows how incredibly naive they are.
I have lived through gas lines that lasted for weeks in the 70s; a "trumped up" war in the Middle East that had no real evidence, 40 year high inflation this decade, and now a 2 hour long TSA shutdown. All caused by government incompetence.
some people seriously need to consider that the alternative is to live in a society where you have no choice and for many even expressing dissent for any side can end your life.
Democracies have plenty of flaws but one side never retains power. That is not true in other forms of government.
Didn't you rally one sided for Delta.
Does that make you more pathetic than laughable.
no, I think.
You don't.
You push for AI except for yourself.
So Tim Dunn was alive on the 70s which means he is at least 50 yet behaves like a kid most times....just wow
@Tim
I'm really starting to think you have a drinking problem. I notice as the day goes on your comments get more and more irrational and difficult to understand. Seriously, you can get help for this and it might serve you well.
Are you sure you’re not a pilot?
Anyone looking to achieve mastery in a given skill would do well do well to mirror the consistency and passion with which Tim Dunn has dedicated himself to the art of bootlicking. Although I hope your skill is something more useful.
Secretary Kardashian is in way over her head. She has zero qualifications for the job other than fawning over Trump and wearing enough makeup to get his attention.
Democrat communists are opportunistic misogynists when convenient
Almost as convenient as Noem banging Corey in the back of her luxury jet while on “work”
This Democrat communist misogynist cannot figure out a way to further insult a woman who did a Mafia-style hit on her own dog.
This has nothing to do with misogyny or radical leftism. Plenty of us on the right are as disgusted with Whiskey Ken as we are with ICE Barbie. Cable news hosts have no business serving in cabinet level positions.
Let's shut down the special lanes behind Delta One and United Global Services check ins, etc.
Indefensible in normal times, now doubly so when TSA is budget constrained.
Delta and United would be paying for those, so no, they should stay open.
"Delta and United would be paying for those"
Source?
Airlines are essentially getting so many free rides. Airlines get to dictate special lines for priority class travel while in reality, all pax pay the same fees for security.
Who do you think is paying for TSA-pre? The users are. Think a little harder next time.
When Congressional Government is not working… why give them any respect or perks.
“Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies.”
George Washington was a dog lover New York that goes for local government as well.
"If we can't take away Global Entry from people if they vote for Democrats, we will take it away from everybody" is a... policy, I guess.
Democrats blocked funding for HOMELAND SECURITY including the Coast Guard, Secret Service, and TSA.
ICE and CBP are still funded and will continue to deport criminal illegal aliens.
Global Entry is run by CBP. If it's still funded and fully functioning, why was it announced to be temporarily shutdown??
Because, my dear lefty, the current federal administration is a blithering incompetent morass of simpletons, grifters, and megalomaniacs who couldn't organise a booze-up in a brewery.
@Lefty, I had a good laugh at your comment and I say that in a good way. Nobody can expect “logic” or “thought” in this administrations actions. Maybe this idiotic decision will send the puppy assassin packing and I won’t have to see caked on makeup offering those here “future hope if they turn themselves in now” ads on tv.
Ben, you should long know by now that it is useless to lay out factual logic-based arguments to dissect the current administration’s actions which, many times are idiotic and sadly, sometimes, quite dangerous. This president and his crony enablers often resort to knee-jerk revenge governing. Their ongoing credo is to at all cost use what ever means are necessary, both inside and outside the law, to muzzle critics and, flailing that, punish them to the...
Ben, you should long know by now that it is useless to lay out factual logic-based arguments to dissect the current administration’s actions which, many times are idiotic and sadly, sometimes, quite dangerous. This president and his crony enablers often resort to knee-jerk revenge governing. Their ongoing credo is to at all cost use what ever means are necessary, both inside and outside the law, to muzzle critics and, flailing that, punish them to the maximum extent possible. Clearly this silly ploy to suspend Pre-check was nothing more than a wildly inane attempt to deflect the real underlying blame for egregious immigration policies away POTUS/Homeland Security by creating real pain for the public at large.
Our entire government is incompetent and that's by design. The real people running our country want it that way and both parties comply. Whether Trump or Bernie Sanders. They all have their marching orders.
Hecking antisemitism there guy!
Seven Pages of a Sealed Watergate File Sat Undiscovered. Until Now.
Feb. 8, 2026.
This is from the New York Times
You are so right, the S W A M P is real and orchestrated. Coups by this group and those connected to Government, and have been orchestrated in the past… as were demonstrably orchestrated recently against President Trump by multiple levels of governmental bureaucracy during the past few presidents. This bureaucracy will...
Seven Pages of a Sealed Watergate File Sat Undiscovered. Until Now.
Feb. 8, 2026.
This is from the New York Times
You are so right, the S W A M P is real and orchestrated. Coups by this group and those connected to Government, and have been orchestrated in the past… as were demonstrably orchestrated recently against President Trump by multiple levels of governmental bureaucracy during the past few presidents. This bureaucracy will use all means of power at their disposal to maintain their power and manipulate the American people, no matter how much it costs our national economy or undermines our American Culture.
The coup of Congressional Swamp politics and bloated budgets are all part of the coup to power and fund the corruption of government.
Congress has to take a hard look at themselves and know they are part and parcel to blame for the destruction of America and American cultural integrity by helping not to curb the ability of the swamp to orchestrate such coups, which are undermining the desires of the American people of having a functioning pro America and American government.
I’m pretty sure Stephen Miller made the original decision to shut down TSA on his own.
Cool. Do Global Entry still, too. Otherwise, give us money back, prorated. I want my $0.03/day or whatever.
The comments I found ridiculous were the people complaining about how you'd made a political post.
Normally I would agree with this, and I like the fact this blog stays out of politics – but when an administration directly chooses to perform an action that negatively affects all travelers (not just frequent travelers!), what are you supposed to do, just ignore it?
I was actually on the verge of cancelling a trip to...
The comments I found ridiculous were the people complaining about how you'd made a political post.
Normally I would agree with this, and I like the fact this blog stays out of politics – but when an administration directly chooses to perform an action that negatively affects all travelers (not just frequent travelers!), what are you supposed to do, just ignore it?
I was actually on the verge of cancelling a trip to the US on the basis of this, not because of political objections but because there are other destinations in the world that don't come with the potential for needless hassle.
How about less gate-keeping, in-general. Say what you wanna say. Get political; don’t. You do you.
As for the US, please consider visiting another time. We’ve gotta sort out ourselves. Lots of better places to be these days. Go to the Maldives. Take a safari. Try Venice. Go Down Under. See the Himalayas. Check back in a little while. Sowie.
The Art Of The Deal. It’s like our country is being run by Lufthansa.
Your comment wins the day!
TACO!
Landed at EWR from United flight from LHR. No GE or even MPC available. But there was no line so no wait.
I bet this was one of the seat-of-the-pants decisions by the self-proclaimed "stable genius". And the same goes for the reversal.
TACO
Let’s see some of the MAGAts’ response now…Dave S and Timmy D
TACO
And meanwhile we are distracted from the Epstein files
We have a winner!!!!
C & D students...
This blog is a typical housewife's den where Ben hastily adds so-called breaking news without giving it time to mature.
If you can’t handle these ‘hot takes,’ take a deep breath and carry on, bruh.
I made it through JFK precheck this morning ahead of the storm. It was the most chaotic I've seen at any airport - stay frosty, people!
"Why is the level of incompetency so high?" the answer may shock you.
“Syphilis” isn’t shocking, it’s obvious.
Clown show.
Just delete the word "can" and the original comment is 100% correct: This is “bargaining on a level most of us never hope to achieve.”
Indeed, only those who are truly "tired of winning" (or, perhaps, never wanted to win in the first place) hope to achieve this level of bargaining.
This is why I laugh at people comparing Trump to a true fascist dictator. The TACO phenomenon is so true. When dictators make an unpopular decision, they see it through to the end, no matter the pushback. In a real fascist regime, if they suspended PreCheck and GE today, and people protested, they would announce permanently terminating it. Trump has the same size of balls as my neutered dog.
chump is attempting to be dictator, he is just so darn stupid, he cannot even get that right.
A simple case of just another white man failing upwards.
Stupid and more importantly lazy. Trump will move his base to the next shiny object, culture war, whatever to distract from his terrible ability to competently run the country. Moron MAGA's on here taking this as a win to own the libs. Sad
Pedo needs to hang them up.
this is entirely ignorant of the scholarship on authoritarianism -- these regimes are more often than not fickle, incompetent, buffoonish, and uncoordinated, in large part because regime roles are staffed via rivalrous patronage systems
I am the most prolific commenter on OMAAT although the quoted comment was not me as I am not a MAGA tard.