WASHINGTON – The Trump administration announced Friday its intention to transition airport security screening operations away from federal control, targeting the Transportation Security Administration that was established following the September 11 terrorist attacks.
The administration’s budget blueprint calls for reducing TSA funding by $52 million while mandating that smaller airports participate in a contractor program where TSA finances private security screeners. Currently, approximately 50,000 federal workers conduct passenger screening at virtually every airport across the United States.
According to budget documentation, airports already participating in the private screening initiative have shown cost savings when compared to federally-operated security checkpoints.
The proposal comes after recent widespread airport chaos when TSA security personnel worked without pay starting in mid-February due to a funding standoff in budget negotiations.
On his first day in office, Trump dismissed TSA Administrator David Pekoske and has not put forward a successor. Previously, the administration sought a $247 million reduction in TSA funding, stating the “TSA has consistently failed audits while implementing intrusive screening measures that violate Americans’ privacy and dignity.”
Those earlier proposed reductions would have meant a 3-4% decrease in TSA workforce levels, with half affecting exit lane personnel and the remainder cutting 2% of security officers across 435 airports nationwide.
Under the Biden presidency, TSA workforce expanded to nearly 60,000 employees as passenger volumes grew. The agency processed a record 904 million travelers in 2024, representing a 5% jump from the previous year.
