Travelers waiting in long lines at airport security checkpoints across the United States are now greeted by a new, highly unusual message: a video of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who squarely blames Democrats in Congress for the ongoing government shutdown. The video, which began rolling out on October 10, 2025, marks a striking escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to cast blame for the shutdown—and it’s playing out in front of a captive audience of millions of daily air passengers.
“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,” Noem says in the video, according to Fox News, CNN, and Nexstar Media. “However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working without pay.” She adds, “We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact you. Our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”
The rollout of this so-called “public service video” was confirmed by a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson to several outlets, including Reuters and The Hill. The video is now being displayed on monitors above security lines at TSA checkpoints in airports nationwide, the Transportation Security Administration confirmed to CNN. With approximately three million passengers flying daily in the U.S., according to the Federal Aviation Administration, the reach of Noem’s message is immense.
While it’s not uncommon for travelers to see government officials on video at TSA checkpoints—usually offering safety tips or reassurances—Noem’s overtly political remarks mark a sharp departure from the norm. As CNN pointed out, such direct blame-laying is highly unusual and raises thorny questions about the legal and ethical boundaries of government communications. The Hatch Act, an 80-year-old federal law, restricts partisan political activity by most federal employees, prohibiting them from engaging in political activity while on duty, in government buildings, or while using official insignia. Critics, including Democrats, federal employees, and watchdog groups, have accused the Trump administration of skirting, if not outright violating, the Hatch Act with this and similar messaging.
The controversy over the video is just the latest flashpoint in a shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, and has now stretched into its second week. Both Republicans and Democrats have blamed each other for the impasse. The Senate failed for the seventh time on October 9 to pass a continuing resolution that would have reopened the government and extended funding until November 21. The core sticking point? Democrats are demanding an expansion of health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, while Republicans refuse to budge on the issue.
“It’s literally life or death,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a video posted to social media, as reported by The Hill. “We will not let Republicans blow up our health care system.” Meanwhile, the Trump administration has doubled down on its messaging campaign, with at least eight federal agencies—ranging from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs—posting statements on their websites blaming Democrats or “the Radical Left” for the shutdown. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website, for example, displayed a banner reading: “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands.”
Some federal employees have alleged that their out-of-office email replies were changed without notice to blame Democrats for the shutdown, further fueling accusations of partisan misuse of government resources. According to Nexstar Media, surveys conducted last week showed that more voters blamed the GOP for the shutdown, complicating the administration’s narrative.
The shutdown’s impact on federal operations has been immediate and, in some cases, severe. Most TSA employees and air traffic controllers are classified as essential and required to work without pay, but staffing shortages are mounting. Earlier this week, a major airport in Burbank, California, was left without air traffic controllers for six hours due to the shutdown, as reported by CNN and Reuters. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters that the Federal Aviation Administration was tracking an uptick in air traffic controllers calling out sick, a trend that tends to worsen as shutdowns drag on. “We are already seeing an increase in sick calls at several locations,” Duffy said during a press conference Monday.
Despite these challenges, aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that as of October 7, about 92% of the more than 23,600 flights departing U.S. airports took off on time. However, several major airports reported delays, and travel industry analyst Jenry Harteveldt told the Associated Press he was “gravely concerned” that a prolonged shutdown could “possibly ruin” travel plans through the busy Thanksgiving holiday. “The risk is growing by the day,” Harteveldt warned.
The White House has also taken unprecedented steps to increase pressure on Democrats. The Office of Management and Budget announced on October 10 that mass firings of federal workers—reduction-in-force plans—had begun. Russ Vought, the budget director, stated on social media that “the RIFs have begun,” signaling that the administration was willing to go further than the typical furloughs seen in previous shutdowns. President Donald Trump indicated that more details about federal job eliminations would be forthcoming.
The legal ramifications of the administration’s tactics remain uncertain. The Office of Special Counsel, which is charged with enforcing the Hatch Act, has found violations in the past—such as during Trump’s first term, when Kellyanne Conway and other officials were found to have crossed the line—but enforcement has often been lax. The current head of the Office of Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia, is a Trump appointee who has publicly aligned himself with the president.
Supporters of the administration argue that the messaging merely reflects the reality of the situation. “It’s an objective fact that Democrats are responsible for the government shutdown, the Trump Administration is simply sharing the truth with the American people,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told CNN. However, as CNN has reported, Republicans currently control all levers of power in Washington, and Democrats are refusing to vote for a spending bill until Republicans agree to extend health insurance subsidies.
As the shutdown wears on, the partisan blame game only seems to intensify. With both sides dug in and the consequences mounting for federal workers and the traveling public alike, there’s little sign of a breakthrough. For now, millions of Americans passing through airport security are left to ponder Secretary Noem’s message—and the deeper questions it raises about the boundaries between government service and political advocacy.
With the shutdown’s ripple effects growing by the day, the nation’s airports have become a stage for a high-stakes political drama, one that shows no sign of ending soon.
