Trump declares national emergency at airports, to sign order instructing DHS to 'immediately pay' TSA officers
President Donald Trump said he will sign an executive order to address airport disruptions, announcing the move in a Truth Social post Thursday that framed the situation as a national emergency.
"Because the Democrats have recklessly created a true National Crisis, I am using my authorities under the Law to protect our Great Country," Trump wrote.
"Therefore, I am going to sign an Order … to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation."
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The White House said funding from legislation backed by Trump will be used to ensure TSA officers are paid during the disruption.
"Not unlike actions taken during the first Democrat-shutdown (i.e., paying the troops), President Trump has determined that congressional Democrats have created an emergency situation that cannot be allowed to continue," White House Office of Management and Budget Communications Director Rachel Cauley said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin praised the move, writing on X that he "want[s] to thank @POTUS for his leadership in finding a way to pay our TSA officers to end this chaos at our airports."
"These hours long lines and thousands of Americans missing their flights was caused solely by the Democrats reckless @DHSgov shutdown," Mullin added, calling on Democrats to "stop playing political games with our national security" and reopen the department.
The move comes as a 41-day partial government shutdown has disrupted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), causing long lines at airports nationwide amid a standoff over DHS funding and immigration enforcement.
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Trump accused Democrats of "refusing to fund Immigration Enforcement" and creating "Chaos at the Airports," while thanking TSA officers for their work.