I’m not even really sure what to say about this? Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction…
In this post:
Trump wants to “Make Travel Family Friendly Again”
On Monday, December 8, 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. held a press conference at Washington National Airport (DCA). The idea was to announce $1 billion in funding to support initiatives to “Make Travel Family Friendly Again.” As it’s described:
The goal of the campaign is to address a common refrain from the public – it can be challenging to travel as a family. From needing more dedicated spaces for young children and exercise equipment, to finding places for mothers to nurse their children, to staying fit on the go, or struggling to find more healthy food options, the Trump Administration is committed to making every stage of the travel journey more seamless.
To improve the experiences of families in airport terminals, $1 billion in funding will be used to incentivize more family friendly resources in airport terminals, including:
- Creating more children’s play areas or exercise areas
- Adding mothers’ rooms or nursing pods
- Reconfiguring security checkpoints to create family screening lanes
- Building sensory rooms for children with special needs
- Other creative terminal projects that focus on enhancing the family travel journey
Plans were also announced to collaborate with airports and private sector partners to improve access to nutritional food options at airports. Here’s how Secretary Duffy described this:
“Bringing about a Golden Age in travel has to involve making the family travel experience happier and healthier. Today’s announcement demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to enacting a Family First agenda and improving the lives of the American people.”
Secretary Kennedy also had a variety of comments, including:
“There’s three million Americans a day who go through airports and it’s not a healthy experience for them.”
“Over the past 30 years, I have flown probably an average 250 days a year, and I can tell you that this is where healthy diets go to die.”
“The food that’s available in the airport… a lot of it tastes very good, but it’s not very good for you.”
“It’s deep fried food, it’s sugar bombs, it’s ultra processed foods, and all of them are going to leave you sicker than before you ate them.”
Secretary Duffy and Secretary Kennedy also did pull-ups in the terminal, as one does…
Also at the press conference was health influencer Paul Saladino, who proposed installing mini-gyms at airports, saying “these would be a massive step in the right direction, and it’s such a huge thing that we could do for Americans,” and that “anyone I’ve talked to about the idea has just been — they smile, they get excited.”
This just strikes me as a bizarre and misplaced priority
Remember in May 2025, how Secretary Duffy announced plans to overhaul and modernize our air traffic control system? Whatever happened to that? Because if you ask me, that’s the single thing that could be done to “Make Travel Family Friendly Again,” so that people aren’t stuck on planes and at airports longer than they need to be, due to our outdated air traffic control infrastructure.
Look, I recently gave Duffy credit for him encouraging travelers to be polite and show manners. There’s not much substance to that, but I do like the general vibe of “treat others with respect.”
But I’m sorry, pushing for health food at airports? This is just getting comical. There’s no denying we have a general health crisis in this country, but that’s not because of what people are eating at airports. Like, I don’t think airport food is any less healthy than the food you’ll just find out there in general at concessions. Most places are selling food that isn’t healthy, because that’s what people want.
I’ll take it a step further — airports actually have a fair number of grab & go salads and sandwiches that can be healthy, but the issue is that those aren’t the first things that most people grab.
If anything, the biggest issue with healthy food at airports is how expensive it often is. A couple of years ago I wrote about how we purchased a small 2.5 ounce bag of beef jerky at Miami Airport (at least a high protein and filling snack), and it cost over $20.
Airports are a place where many people get stressed, and that’s especially true for families. I can assure you that most parents of little kids just want their kids to eat anything so that they don’t get cranky and “hangry.” It’s not really the place to try to argue with them over eating a salad, in my opinion.
Bottom line
The Trump administration wants to make airports better for families, and that supposedly includes finding ways to offer more healthy food at airports. If you ask me, the issue isn’t the lack of healthy options at airports. The issue is that this isn’t what most people want, and even for those who do, it’s often quite expensive.
Can we get back to that air traffic control modernization idea, please, because I think that’s what would make the biggest difference for families?
What do you make of this push for health foods at airports?
Well Done Steak with Ketchup at every airport! MAGA!
The public likes shiny new airports (if they function). A significant part of the money to build and maintain said airports is the rental income paid by restaurants and shops at airports. This is why prices are exaggerated.
Republicans should control and dictate all foods we eat everywhere. Welcome to the new Republican Party. Funny. When Dems do it, it is bad. Republicans do that it is good. Hehe
I agree completely. The administration should start by demonstrating leadership by using Air Force One as a positive example. No Kentucky Fried Duck and no McDonalds filet-o-fish for anyone flying on AF1. No Oreos. Diet Coke banned. Tofu made from unsold American soy beans. Flatulence might be an issue with the new, healthier diet but the extra hot air will improve lift and help with flight performance thereby using less fuel and helping to slow global warming.
The quality of food in US airports is pretty bad. Have you all even tried airport food in East Asia?
There should be a priority security line for those who can do 20 pull ups. You’d have to prove it at the start of the line to be allowed into it.
Why are comments being censored?
When I was a kid, they used to call it "Highway Robbery", that has converted to airports. The $10 hotdog, when outside it sold it for $1.25.
How can they make airports better. Sometimes I feel like I am being raped at TSA, horrible experience.
Priority #1 should be privatizing TSA, the way San Francisco, Kansas City, and 19 other airports have done.
Priority #2 should be privatizing and modernizing ATC, as Canada, Austria, and many other countries have done.
They can't solve the real problems with airports so they'll do something that no one really asked for.
I saw a post from Sec Duffy in the past week about the continued efforts to modernize the ATC system. Rome wasn’t built in a day, decades of neglect and inefficiency in upgrades can’t be fixed by snapping your fingers. It takes planning to determine the best replacement and then planning to implement it safely & successfully.
I don’t think anyone can question Sec. Duffy or Sec Kennedy’s desire to make things better. You may...
I saw a post from Sec Duffy in the past week about the continued efforts to modernize the ATC system. Rome wasn’t built in a day, decades of neglect and inefficiency in upgrades can’t be fixed by snapping your fingers. It takes planning to determine the best replacement and then planning to implement it safely & successfully.
I don’t think anyone can question Sec. Duffy or Sec Kennedy’s desire to make things better. You may disagree with their approach, but thats how government works. Also, government needs to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. Multiple improvements & initiatives can be taking place concurrently.
I enjoy the information in this blog, but worry a bit about the TDS that permeates into the articles and comment section. I’m not a fan of Trump, yet I have to admit he is right about a number of issues. His approach is certainly unconventional, but thats why so many voted for him, they are sick of the sound bite solutions of typical politicians that turn into miserable government solutions.
My $0.02
I see you don't understand yet that when Trump is "right" about something, it's an accident. Trump looks out for Trump and his wealthy partners only. If anyone else happens to benefit, then so be it. If you had paid attention to Trump for the past 50 YEARS, you would understand.
@IrishStone
Isn't there a saying? "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions"? How much do they want to make things better for people vs enrich themselves? Remember, Duffy cancelled Buttiegieg's new DOT rules that would have given Americans an EU261-lite, a real improvement in compensating passengers for real harms caused by airline failures. And Kennedy *cancelled* mRNA vaccine development that was working towards cures for cancers and a host of other issues,...
@IrishStone
Isn't there a saying? "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions"? How much do they want to make things better for people vs enrich themselves? Remember, Duffy cancelled Buttiegieg's new DOT rules that would have given Americans an EU261-lite, a real improvement in compensating passengers for real harms caused by airline failures. And Kennedy *cancelled* mRNA vaccine development that was working towards cures for cancers and a host of other issues, and rolled back vaccine recommendations for things like mumps/measles/rubella, hepatitis B, etc. etc. I cannot be more clear here. I don't give damn if he supposedly wants to make things better, AVOIDING SEED OILS AND EATING PROTEIN WON'T KEEP YOU FROM DYING FROM DISEASE.
I saw a family screening line at Oslo airport recently and thought it was a nice idea and like that we might have get those here now. That seems like a worthwhile use of time and money to me. And to clarify, I don't have kids and likely won't ever. Same for kids playplaces in the terminal. But beyond that, some of these things (like the nursing pods and healthy food options) already exist, so...
I saw a family screening line at Oslo airport recently and thought it was a nice idea and like that we might have get those here now. That seems like a worthwhile use of time and money to me. And to clarify, I don't have kids and likely won't ever. Same for kids playplaces in the terminal. But beyond that, some of these things (like the nursing pods and healthy food options) already exist, so here I am expecting to see a pic of ATL F concourse and Tweedle Duffy taking credit for something that has been there for years before he got his job.
Just par for the course for Republicans at this point.
To say nothing of how utterly tone deaf it is for him to tell Americans to dress up nice to fly when Trump is actually crashing the economy, people's dollars are buying less and less, and the anti-vax lunacy is directly leading to people getting sick and driving up the cost of healthcare for everyone.
Also, as others mentioned: why not focus on making it easier to bring more and more types of liquids through security? The 2042 timeline mentioned a while back in another article is just utterly insane. It is a *choice* not to do it faster. Or, show the work on modernizing our ATC systems and hiring more controllers. So much of the stuff from this admin is just performative nonsense when there are real problems they could be trying to address.
I'm for anything that gets families out of the Pre-Check line.
Does this mean, we finally get to eat bear meat? Does it count as healthy food?
Can't beat that meat...
I’d say stopped clock etc. By this dangerous lunatic gets no credit, ever. He’s dismantled America’s world beating medical research capability, and a whole bunch of global partnerships on the same; destroyed America’s public health infrastructure; and is actively and aggressively trying to ensure that American kids die of entirely preventable diseases by removing vaccine mandate and promoting dangerous and unscientific ‘medical’ advice.
Let's eat healthier food so that these people live longer in order post stupid comments online plus survive in order to reproduce and have equally retarded kids.
Woke Nonsense
Non-woke Sense
An even better way to improve airports would be to announce the gradual removal of liquid restrictions at security checkpoints. I just went through Heathrow (not known as a bastion of convenience) and was able to take a few water bottles, jars, etc. in hand luggage with me. Where is the focus on that?
TLV is known for advanced security but they found a way to keep security intact while permitting liquids.
Is the failed loser mayor Pete suggested this Ben would be all for it.
If you failed as a loser wouldn’t that make you a winner?
RFK is a complete joke. Anyone who idolizes him is a fool.
I think RFK, Jr. is supercool.
Didn’t he BONE that reporter?
You're a joke!
This man is spending his personal time trying to make sure the entire America is healthy and not subjected to the poisons coming from other countries and you're calling him a joke!?
Since following his advice, my family has seen a massive improvement to our health and my child who was a shut in and clearly autistic has started attending his church group again.
The next step should be...
You're a joke!
This man is spending his personal time trying to make sure the entire America is healthy and not subjected to the poisons coming from other countries and you're calling him a joke!?
Since following his advice, my family has seen a massive improvement to our health and my child who was a shut in and clearly autistic has started attending his church group again.
The next step should be to stop importing all the food from other countries and grow our own because I'm sick of seeing Chinese, Indian and Italian restaurants in our area whilst true American restaurants are forced to compete.
Eat American, Follow RFK and we'll be more healthy in no time!
JPlat, what was your take on Michelle Obama's approach?
How is Michelle relevant, Obama was in office almost 10 years ago now.
Even though I support Trump, I don't care about politics when it comes to health, RFK can be working for Obama for all I care as long as the policy is good.
We've been poisoned with foreign foods and cuisines in America for far too long, that's why our children's test scores have been so bad compared to other countries....
How is Michelle relevant, Obama was in office almost 10 years ago now.
Even though I support Trump, I don't care about politics when it comes to health, RFK can be working for Obama for all I care as long as the policy is good.
We've been poisoned with foreign foods and cuisines in America for far too long, that's why our children's test scores have been so bad compared to other countries. Guess what the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans have been eating? Our exports and our foods, that's the only reason why they have been getting better than us. It's time for a change.
JPlat, I said "What WAS your take?" You know, when Michelle Obama proposed that we take steps to improve kids' health and the right wing lost their gd minds? You remember that? What was your position?
"Our exports and our foods, that's the only reason why they have been getting better than us."
Tell us you don't know about US-grown food without telling us you don't know about US-grown food. About the additives to everything from the grains and grasses farm animals eat (not to mention the antibiotics and hormones they consume) to the toxins that coat the fruits and vegetables that are grown in the USA.
While you've never...
"Our exports and our foods, that's the only reason why they have been getting better than us."
Tell us you don't know about US-grown food without telling us you don't know about US-grown food. About the additives to everything from the grains and grasses farm animals eat (not to mention the antibiotics and hormones they consume) to the toxins that coat the fruits and vegetables that are grown in the USA.
While you've never left the USA, if you ever did, you'd experience what real food tastes like. In the meantime, learn to start thinking for yourself.
Why would you make an autistic child go to church?
"Let them eat Biscoff..."
Back in my day, they Republican Party would let the market decide these sorts of minutiae.
Well, it's now Trump's party.
These are actually not bad ideas. However, unlike in other countries, airports here are not managed by the federal government. Most aren't even managed by their respective states. They're managed by local government agencies. Which makes it very difficult to successfully make sweeping changes of this nature.
Sure, you can dangle a billion dollars as a carrot, but that doesn't guarantee any cooperation. Also for those of you moaning about it being a billion...
These are actually not bad ideas. However, unlike in other countries, airports here are not managed by the federal government. Most aren't even managed by their respective states. They're managed by local government agencies. Which makes it very difficult to successfully make sweeping changes of this nature.
Sure, you can dangle a billion dollars as a carrot, but that doesn't guarantee any cooperation. Also for those of you moaning about it being a billion dollars "wasted": our government has wasted that much in the time it took me to type this. So give that a rest.
I don't disagree that it would be great for some good healthy options but as noted, let's fix the egregious prices that are being charged. At ORD two weeks ago a bottled of water (standard size) was over $7. Out of principle, I refused to purchase it.
Drinking out of a hose is usually free, so...
And how many hoses have you found in the airport, dumbass?
This is a joke. This administration has rolled back consumer protections for travelers just recently. They suspended the fine for Southwest Airlines from their meltdown. Do you really think they care about the traveling public? This is some of the grift. Everything they do is to enrich themselves somehow.
100%
When the adults are back in-charge, gotta lotta work to do to clean up these messes…
Should start with air passenger rights legislation that includes compensation like EU261, UK261, and Canada’s APPR.
Try to state the facts rather than misleading statements.
1, They suspended the last payment of a huge penalty imposed on Southwestern. The fine was way too extensive. I can bet you never complained when Biden cancelled all kinds of fines and loan repayments.
I believe cancelling the fine helps ensure healthier competition for the flying public.
Elaborate on how cancelling a fine in the name of accountability helps competition?
I like the idea of federal grant money for more nursing pods and play areas, but I'm unclear as to how they came up with needing a billion dollars for this initiative. I'm unconvinced that TSA checkpoints need a families only line. There are space issues at most checkpoints. As to Kennedy's claim that he's averaged 250 days per year of flying for the last 30 years, I'm skeptical. And agree with Ben, modernizing ATC should be a much, much bigger priority.
Oh and btw, putting all traveling families in special security lines might backfire spectacularly. I mean, I am a fn of this, no more families with kids in my line.... will make my travel better.
But a family in a line with all other families in that line... I do not think that will improve the experience...
Our whole family has precheck/GE and my two under-10 kids are expert world travelers. We breeze through security and would hate to be forced to be in a super slow family line.
"Most places are selling food that isn’t healthy, because that’s what people want."
Same applies onboard. You finally answered your own question regarding how the AA sliders could be so popular.
Look, I despise this administration, MAGA, and think Kennedy is certifiably crazy, but I'll give credit where credit is due. More family friendly infrastructure at airports would be a good thing. So would more traveler protections.
Regarding the food, tax the junk and not the healthy stuff. Junk is cheap to produce and has a longer shelf life than most fresh, so yeah an incentive towards healthy food might be good.
Look, I despise this administration, MAGA, and think Kennedy is certifiably crazy, but I'll give credit where credit is due. More family friendly infrastructure at airports would be a good thing. So would more traveler protections.
Regarding the food, tax the junk and not the healthy stuff. Junk is cheap to produce and has a longer shelf life than most fresh, so yeah an incentive towards healthy food might be good.
More regressive taxation is not a good idea. There are other, more effective ways to change behaviors and get people to make healthier choices.
The clown show continues.
Elect a clown, expect...
Another day, another billion dollar stunt.
Cynical at best. This one billion dollar is just one dollar per passenger in a year. What can you possibly get out of it?
And that same administration has just shot down the bill that would have given passengers sth like EU 261 a thing which would have greatly improved air travel,.
And as Ben said, at the same time, nothing is done about ATC.
This is just a nice blue pill in...
Cynical at best. This one billion dollar is just one dollar per passenger in a year. What can you possibly get out of it?
And that same administration has just shot down the bill that would have given passengers sth like EU 261 a thing which would have greatly improved air travel,.
And as Ben said, at the same time, nothing is done about ATC.
This is just a nice blue pill in the hope the public and the professionals in this area swallow it and forget about the "airline profits, first, second and third... passenger rights at place 20" policy of the currentadministration.
Meanwhile, our ATC system is a fatal joke, and we're not at all prepared for the next pandemic, and prescription drugs are a leading cause of personal bankruptcy.
But Bobby Brain-worms and Sean from The Real World are working on the important issues!
And yet this government wanted to eliminate food stamps and refuses to fund school breakfast/lunches. Truly pathetic. And no one gives a fuck how many pull ups RFK can do.
I like performative nonsense and cruelty against the vulnerable as policy
The family stuff is a good idea, and something many newer airports already have. I'm all for designated spaces for kids to be kids, leaving adults to be adults in other spaces without worrying about running into kids being kids
With the food stuff, the unhealthy food thing in airports is just a reflection of people's spending habits when it comes to food inside and outside of airports. A lot of healthy eaters don't like...
The family stuff is a good idea, and something many newer airports already have. I'm all for designated spaces for kids to be kids, leaving adults to be adults in other spaces without worrying about running into kids being kids
With the food stuff, the unhealthy food thing in airports is just a reflection of people's spending habits when it comes to food inside and outside of airports. A lot of healthy eaters don't like fast food because it makes them feel gross, and being at an airport soon to get on a flight won't suddenly make that gross feeling go away.
You are correct, part of this is about persona. People already focused on healthy eating and lifestyles know better than to eat at the airport and waste money on the marked up prices.
Still, I think it can't hurt to replace a few McDonald's or fast food options with healthier chains or local restaurants.
A family friendly regulation would be ensuring families with young children get to sit together. 5 out of 10 US airlines including DL and UA do not commit to that. There’s a whole dashboard about it still on the DOT website. Fix that first maybe.
$1 billion in funding will be used to incentivize more family friendly resources in airport terminals, including (1) Creating more children’s play areas or exercise areas (2) Adding mothers’ rooms or nursing pods (3) Reconfiguring security checkpoints to create family screening lanes (4) Building sensory rooms for children with special needs (5) Other creative terminal projects that focus on enhancing the family travel journey
Spread over how many airports? That $1 billion is going to...
$1 billion in funding will be used to incentivize more family friendly resources in airport terminals, including (1) Creating more children’s play areas or exercise areas (2) Adding mothers’ rooms or nursing pods (3) Reconfiguring security checkpoints to create family screening lanes (4) Building sensory rooms for children with special needs (5) Other creative terminal projects that focus on enhancing the family travel journey
Spread over how many airports? That $1 billion is going to be able to finance all of that construction? Numbers 1-4 would considerably increase the congestions and crowding at the airports. Lots of buzz words designed to make people say "I support that" but totally impossible with that funding. I'd rather the Trump Administration puts the $1 billion into the Social Security Trust Fund to provide for retired working people.
There are over 10 million people ages 65+ who work. That $1 billion translates to $100 each.
Add tariffs to junk food in airports, while allowing healthy options to be tax-free, Seriously, families going through airports are probably going on holiday and would rather have a burger than an apple. I would too.
I don't think you understand what the word "tariff" means
You don't, bub. Tariff in the UK means tax. The world doesn't revolve around the states, buster.
On an American dish, there are french fries. On a British dish, there are chips.
We are talking about American airports here, not British airports
Other '1990,' well said.
I know they work!!! MAGA.
This is actually a thing, for example some US cities have a sugar tax for consuming the non-diet version of sodas. Consumption taxes to penalize less healthy behaviors and options are quite common.
I really don't see any contradiction between this and modernizing the ATC. That's not done overnight, it will probably take 3-5 years (idk what and if there's an official timeline). It's definitely not past due yet. A major contract was awarded just days ago. It is by all accounts work in progress, and far too early to criticize any action or inaction on that.
This initiative - what's wrong with it? It definitely won't...
I really don't see any contradiction between this and modernizing the ATC. That's not done overnight, it will probably take 3-5 years (idk what and if there's an official timeline). It's definitely not past due yet. A major contract was awarded just days ago. It is by all accounts work in progress, and far too early to criticize any action or inaction on that.
This initiative - what's wrong with it? It definitely won't hurt the U.S. airports if they get some extra kids spaces. On the food -- I'm not sure what can be done there, or how we got here in the first place, but yeah, it is true that it's pretty hard at most airports to get a snack that's not insanely unhealthy. Even going to one of the sitdowns and being willing to pay $30-$40, you still get barely eatable fat garbage. If they somehow manage to make the food a bit better, I for one would be quite happy.
To be fair, the FAA just awarded the contract for ATC modernization last week.
Good luck convincing a nation with more fast food brands and outlets than actual people. Make the country healthier? Not with a drug addict in charge of Health.
But if the administration wants to overhaul airport food and make it better, by all means, please let it continue to spend, spend, spend....pushing it ever closer to a default on its debt.
In principle yes it's a good idea. However, most airports already have some healthy food options. You can get a fruit bowl even in a Hudson. But most people are going to stand in line at fast food joint. That's the society we live in and airports aren't going to change that.
Indeed, healthy food options exist at many entertainment venues but most patrons opt for the unhealthy alternatives. That's a society-wide issue.
If you want people to live healthier, start by providing vaccines.
This is a fake Eskimo.
No this is the fake Eskimo
Making travel easier for families requires a mindset built on respect, respect for parents juggling many responsibilities, respect for children who need safe spaces to move around, respect for testicles, respect for caregivers balancing health needs, and respect for every traveler’s well-being.
Even small barriers that some consider inconsequential can have a huge impact on families on the go. What might seem inconsequential to a solo traveler is not inconsequential to someone searching for a...
Making travel easier for families requires a mindset built on respect, respect for parents juggling many responsibilities, respect for children who need safe spaces to move around, respect for testicles, respect for caregivers balancing health needs, and respect for every traveler’s well-being.
Even small barriers that some consider inconsequential can have a huge impact on families on the go. What might seem inconsequential to a solo traveler is not inconsequential to someone searching for a quiet place to nurse a baby, a corner for young kids to decompress, or a healthy meal while rushing between gates. And even something as oddly specific as dealing with undescended expectations (or Testicles) about what services should be available shows how much room there is to grow.
By recognizing these challenges and treating none of them as inconsequential, we can build travel spaces that support every stage of the journey. Thoughtful design, healthier food options, room to exercise, and areas for childcare all contribute to a system that truly respects families and helps everyone travel with confidence.
Maybe parents could start by only birthing the children they can actively take care of?
Not to go off to far in the deep end, but this has always been by design.
They make the junk food cheaper and accessible for the poors, while the better, healthier stuff costs a fortune.
This isn't unique to airports in any sense. While this is actually a positive thing, the reality is that they seem more focused on calling out the symptoms, rather than addressing the root causes.
Thanks for this post. At least one person is actually thoughtful and doesn't have to have a stupid, smart aleck response to every post Ben puts up.
Thanks Putin!
For real, many of the horrors of the past decade(s) lie at that tiny man's feet.
MAKE AIRPORTS GREAT AGAIN!!
I prefer this, only slightly.
But, like the other MAGA, it's also a farce, sadly.
MAGA!