President Trump announced he will sign an executive order to restart pay for Transportation Security Administration officers who have gone more than a month without full pay amid a lapse in Department of Homeland Security funding that began in February. He did not specify the legal authority he intends to invoke.
On Truth Social, Mr. Trump wrote that “because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law to protect our Great Country, as I always will do.” He said the order will direct Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who was sworn in earlier this week, to begin restoring officers’ pay “immediately,” adding, “It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it!”
A senior administration official told CBS News the plan is to draw on funds from last summer’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act to cover TSA pay, though which specific provision would be used was not identified. That law included tens of billions of dollars for various DHS priorities, including immigration enforcement, security for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, grants to states and protection for presidential residences.
TSA officers were facing the prospect of missing a second full paycheck as lawmakers remained deadlocked over DHS appropriations. Senate Democrats have pushed for additional reforms to immigration-focused agencies that House Republicans oppose. Early Friday, the Senate approved funding for most of DHS, but the House still must act.
The pay lapse has translated into elevated absence rates at airport checkpoints: more than 10% of officers are calling out daily on average, and some airports have seen callout rates top 40%. Hundreds of officers have left the agency. Passengers at larger hubs have experienced hours-long waits, and TSA officials say staffing shortfalls could force some smaller airports to close if the situation continues.
To help manage long lines this week, the administration deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to more than a dozen airports, and Mr. Trump said he might also call on National Guard forces if necessary.
Airlines for America President and CEO and former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu praised the decision to resume pay. “We are grateful to President Trump and Secretary Mullin for implementing a solution to pay tens of thousands of dedicated TSA officers for the important job they do, serving with professionalism on the frontlines of our nation’s aviation system, despite not receiving pay for more than 40 days,” Sununu said. He warned, however, that even if a funding fix is reached quickly, distribution of back pay could take several days: “You’re still going to see that backpay doesn’t come in maybe until late next week or even the following week, because it just doesn’t happen that fast.”
The administration also considered an offer from Elon Musk to fund TSA workers, but officials declined the proposal over legal concerns tied to Musk’s government contracts, according to CBS News.
Exactly how the president would unilaterally restore pay was not clarified. The administration has in prior funding lapses shifted resources to blunt impacts: during the current DHS lapse, active-duty Coast Guard personnel are being paid from discretionary funding, and last summer’s bill provided tens of billions to ICE and Customs and Border Protection that softened some effects. During last fall’s government shutdown, military members, FBI agents and DHS law enforcement personnel also continued receiving paychecks.
Kristin Brown contributed to this report.