President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will sign an order to pay Transportation Security Administration officers who have gone without paychecks during the funding lapse at Department of Homeland Security.
Trump said in a Truth Social post that he would instruct newly sworn-in Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to “immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”
TSA officers missed their first full paycheck in mid-March, leading to many calling out of work.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement earlier Thursday that the Trump administration was having discussions “about a number of ideas” to improve conditions in airports, as TSA says it is facing the longest security wait times in history.
“It is true that the White House is having discussions about a number of ideas to blunt the impact of the Democrat shutdown crisis, but no preparations or plans are currently underway. The best and easiest way to pay TSA Agents is to fund DHS,” Leavitt said.
Trump’s announcement comes as the Senate has repeatedly failed to advance a House-passed bill that would fund DHS for a full year. Democrats have opposed the bill as they seek changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the immigration surge in Minneapolis and the killing of two U.S. citizens by federal officers there earlier this year.
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