Recently, President Trump took to social media to claim that employees at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will start to get paid, despite there being no end in sight for the partial government shutdown. Obviously TSA employees getting paid could spell the end of chaos at airports.
There’s now an update, as Trump has just issued a presidential memoranda explaining the framework by which TSA employees will be paid as of Monday, March 30, 2026, and it sounds like this is actually happening.
Trump finds a “creative” way to pay TSA employees
Over the past several weeks, we’ve increasingly seen chaos at airports in the United States, given the partial government shutdown, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) not being funded.
We’re seeing a record number of TSA employees calling in sick, as they haven’t been paid for their last three paycheck periods, and many airports are seeing security wait times of several hours.
Generally speaking, the way to end shutdowns is for us to see a compromise in Congress, but there’s no sign of that happening. We did see the Senate pass a funding bill for the DHS, which would’ve included pay for TSA employees, without including funding for ICE. However, leadership in the House refused to vote on this, so no progress has been made there.
However, Trump has now issued a presidential memorandum, explaining how and why TSA agents will start to be paid:
- Trump claims that airport wait times, combined with declining morale among TSA staff, unacceptably heighten the risk of security vulnerabilities within the domestic travel system
- Trump claims that he has determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the country’s security
- Trump is directing Markwayne Mullin, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to use existing government funds to pay TSA employees, citing 31 U.S.C. 1301(a)
- Once regular funding is restored, funding accounts should be adjusted so that those amounts are paid back, and money is appropriated correctly
For those curious, here’s the full presidential memoranda:
As the Democrat-caused shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues well into its sixth week, America’s air travel system has reached its breaking point. This is an unprecedented emergency situation. Currently, more than 60,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, including approximately 50,000 transportation security officers who perform security functions at domestic airports, are not being paid due to congressional Democrats’ reckless decision to prioritize criminal illegal aliens over American citizens and shut down DHS until their demand to prohibit enforcement of Federal immigration law is met.
Since the shutdown began, nearly 500 transportation security officers have left their positions, and thousands more have begun to call out sick at record rates due to lack of pay. As a result, security wait times at some airports have reached untenable lengths of three or more hours. These increased wait times, combined with declining morale among TSA staff, unacceptably heighten the risk of security vulnerabilities within our domestic travel system and has negatively impacted countless Americans.
If Democrats in the Congress will not act to honor the service of our TSA officers, who are now performing their critical public safety responsibilities without knowing whether they will be able to buy food for their families or pay their rent, then my Administration will take action. As President of the United States, I have determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security.
Accordingly, I hereby direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to use funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations to provide TSA employees with the compensation and benefits that would have accrued to them if not for the Democrat-led DHS shutdown, consistent with applicable law, including 31 U.S.C. 1301(a).
Once regular funding for TSA has been restored, every effort should be made, as authorized by law, to adjust applicable funding accounts within DHS to ensure the continuation of DHS operations and activities consistent with planned expenditures prior to the lapse.
Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
This development is great news all around (mostly)
Political implications aside (an important detail, of course), I think none of us really want airports to be a complete mess, so are happy if TSA agents are once again paid. For that matter, TSA agents deserve to get paid, as I feel horribly for the extent to which they’re being used as pawns.
Trump is known for operating around the typical interpretation of the law, to put it politely. So it’s not surprising that the legal basis for this is all a bit questionable, though there probably won’t be an easy way for that to be challenged. For that matter, I’m not sure it’s really in anyone’s best interest for TSA employees to not be paid.
Now, the irony is that using Trump’s current logic, it sounds like he could have funded the TSA weeks ago, so one wonders why he waited this long.
I suspect that TSA employees getting paid will cause the partial government shutdown to drag on even longer, since problems at airports are ultimately what often cause shutdowns to end. I was planning on not taking any more flights in the US until the partial shutdown ended, unless absolutely necessary.
So while I’m happy if airports go back to normal and hardworking TSA agents get paid, I also understand the political importance (on both sides) of shutdowns.
As you’d expect, airlines are very happy about this development. It’s interesting to look at Delta’s carefully worded statement about this development:
“Delta is grateful that the executive order announced today by the President will restore pay to TSA professionals, and we thank them for working to keep our airports secure during the partial government shutdown. We also thank our customers for their patience amid longer-than-usual security lines, and our employees for taking care of our customers during a challenging time for travel.”
As you can see, Delta says it’s grateful for the executive order, and thanks TSA employees, customers, and employees, but as you can see, stops short of naming Trump. Delta recently took the controversial stance of cutting perks for members of Congress until the government shutdown ends.
Bottom line
President Trump has issued a presidential memoranda, whereby TSA officers will once again get paid. He claims that the lack of TSA screeners is causing a safety issue at airports, and is using other government funds to temporarily pay them.
While the legality of all of this is questionable, ultimately I can’t imagine that anyone will stop him. Hopefully that means airports will likely be back to normal in the coming days. And I’m also happy that TSA agents will once again get paid, since it’s just not fair for them to work for weeks without pay.
What do you make of this update about TSA employees getting paid?
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