Photo: DHS
Since the government shutdown began earlier this month, the Trump administration has sought to use government agencies to publicly assign blame for the stalemate in Washington on Democratic leaders in Congress. One of its boldest efforts to do so is facing pushback, as airports across the country are refusing to display a video blaming the party for the shutdown and any potential travel delays.
Airports in New York, Washington, Nevada, and several other states are declining to air a video of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democrats for the government shutdown, with many representatives of the facilities citing the politicized nature of the message. The video, first reported by Fox News, features Noem addressing travelers directly to camera and calling out Democrats for disrupting TSA’s operations and paychecks.
“It is TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe. 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,” Noem says in the clip. “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.”
FIRST ON FOX: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem blasted Democrats for the government shutdown affecting TSA workers in a video that will play at every public airport in America. pic.twitter.com/LdhRmF6wlT
— Preston Mizell (@MizellPreston) October 9, 2025
In a statement, officials confirmed to the Seattle Times that the DHS video would not be airing at the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. “The Port of Seattle will not play the video on its screens at SEA Airport, due to the political nature of the content,” a spokesman told the outlet. “We continue to urge bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown and are working to find ways to support federal employees working without pay at SEA during the shutdown.” Spokane International Airport followed suit, with an official citing the airport’s policy barring political advertisements of any kind in a statement to local affiliate KHQ.
A spokesperson for the Port of Portland, which operates the Portland International Airport, told OregonLive that the video might run afoul of both state and federal law, specifically citing the Hatch Act, which places limits on federal employees’ political activities.
“We did not consent to playing the video in its current form, as we believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits use of public assets for political purposes and messaging,” spokesperson Molly Prescott said in a statement. “Additionally, Oregon law states no public employee can promote or oppose any political committee, party, or affiliation. We believe consenting to playing this video on Port assets would violate Oregon law.”
A spokesman for the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas confirmed that it has denied a request to display the video, saying the content did not conform with the “neutral, informational nature of the public service announcements typically shown at the security checkpoints,” per KLAS 8. Axios reports that airports in Phoenix, Arizona, and Charlotte, North Carolina, similarly cited policies barring political displays.
And in New York, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, which operates airports in the Buffalo and Niagara Falls regions, told local affiliate WGRZ that it would not be airing the Noem video on airport-controlled screens due to a long-standing agency policy that bars “partisan messaging in its facilities.”
Still, plenty of airports continue to play Noem’s jarring message, and the Trump administration continues to fight its messaging wars elsewhere. Since shortly after the shutdown got going, official websites for the State Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have displayed partisan messaging blaming the “radical Left” and Democrats for any disruption. That move has sparked fierce criticism and numerous allegations of Hatch Act violations, with Democrats on the House Oversight Committee calling for an investigation into the matter. Given their lack of power, it is unlikely to result in much.
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