Several major airports refuse to air Noem video blaming Dems for government shutdown
“Our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government,” Noem says in the PSA. U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
A video message from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, meant to reassure travelers during the ongoing government shutdown, is being withheld from display at several major U.S. airports because it blames Democrats for the funding lapse.
Airports in Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and New York State’s Niagara Falls, Buffalo Niagara, and Westchester County have declined to air the video, calling it “political” and “inappropriate,” according to multiple reports.
In the message, Secretary Noem says the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is working to maintain smooth airport operations despite the shutdown. “It is TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience possible while we keep you safe. However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government,” Noem states in the video.
“Because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay,” she continues. “We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel, and our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”
The partial shutdown began on October 1, after all but three Senate Democrats voted against a continuing resolution that would have extended federal funding through November 21.
A spokesperson for the Port of Seattle, which manages Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, said the video’s political tone violates the airport’s neutrality policy. “The Port of Seattle will not play the video on its screens at SEA airport, due to the political nature of the content,” the spokesperson told The Seattle Times. The port added that it continues to encourage bipartisan efforts to resolve the shutdown and support unpaid federal workers.
Officials at Portland International Airport cited potential violations of the Hatch Act, which limits political activity by federal employees. “We didn’t consent to playing it, as we believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits using public assets for political purposes and messaging,” an airport representative told a local ABC affiliate. Oregon law also bars public employees from promoting or opposing political parties, they noted.
In New York, Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins called the PSA “inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials.” Jenkins, a Democrat, said the message “politicizes” the shutdown’s impact on TSA operations and described its tone as “unnecessarily alarmist.”
“At a time when we should be focused on ensuring stability, collaboration and preparedness, this type of messaging only distracts from the real issues and undermines public trust,” Jenkins added.
A spokesperson for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), which operates Niagara Falls International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport, said the video violates its “long-standing policy” against partisan messaging. “Therefore, we are not airing this video on airport-controlled screens,” the NFTA said in a statement to local media.
A DHS spokesperson told The New York Post that Noem’s public service announcement “is rolling out in airports across the country,” and that the department hopes “Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”
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