President Donald Trump on Friday put forward a plan to privatize airport security operations currently managed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as a cost-saving measure. The White House budget proposal includes a $52 million reduction in funding for the federal agency, which was established after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Under this plan, smaller airports would be required to participate in a program where TSA finances private security screeners.
The TSA employs approximately 50,000 federal workers who oversee screening at nearly all airports across the United States. Budget documents released on Friday highlighted that airports already participating in the privatization program have shown cost savings compared to federal screening operations.
In recent weeks, major U.S. airports experienced significant disruptions after TSA security officers went unpaid starting mid-February due to a budget impasse in Congress. This funding deadlock caused daily absences of 10% or more among TSA staff, resulting in chaotic scenes and lengthy security lines nationwide. The agency reported on Monday that the absence rate had decreased to 8.6% following the payment of security officers.
Privatizing TSA screening could help shield the agency from future congressional budget conflicts. However, the proposed cuts come at a sensitive time for air travel, amid growing concerns about aviation safety. Over 500 TSA officers have resigned recently, compounding a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers. The Trump budget also allocates funds to recruit additional controllers.
Trump has been openly critical of the TSA, having dismissed its head, David Pekoske, on his first day in office and never naming a successor. Last year, the administration sought to reduce TSA funding by $247 million, citing the agency’s repeated audit failures and intrusive screening practices that infringe on Americans’ privacy and dignity. This reduction equated to a 3-4% cut in TSA staffing, with half of the cuts targeting exit lane personnel and the remainder spread across transportation security officers at 435 airports.
In contrast, the Biden administration expanded the TSA workforce to nearly 60,000 employees in response to increasing air travel demand. The TSA screened a record 904 million passengers in 2024, marking a 5% rise compared to 2023.
