In a video meant to be played during the airport security experience across US airports, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem can be heard blaming the democrats for the current government shutdown. Airports across the US are, however, refusing to show the footage.
Since 1 October 2025, the US have been experiencing a federal government shutdown. As the Republicans failed to pass a vital spending bill for the third time in Trump’s two terms in office, many of the country’s services have been brought to a standstill. While air traffic controllers are expected to continue working, they are not receiving immediate pay, and the Transport Security Administration has thus warned all travellers of the impact on staffing levels.
Since the Department of Homeland Security has asked airports across the US to show a video of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem during the airport security experience. While it is not uncommon for videos featuring government officials to be displayed, they usually just welcome travellers and explain the safety procedures, and don’t include political messages.
🚨BREAKING: Kristi Noem is using taxpayer government resources to trash Democrats in the videos that play across airports.
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) October 11, 2025
This is extremely illegal and violates both ethical rules and campaign finance laws. She belongs in prison. pic.twitter.com/urnlyfegcq
Violation of federal law
However, this is not the case for the Kristi Noem video, in which she can be heard blaming the democrats for the federal government shutdown.
“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 footage.
Several airports across the US, such as Harry Reid International in Las Vegas, Portland International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and multiple airports in New York, including Westchester County Airport, have so far refused to play the video. While some blame the political message in the video for the refusal, others think it might even be a violation of federal law.
“Westchester County has reviewed the request from the Department of Homeland Security to replace the REAL ID video with a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that was released by United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and our message is clear: it is inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials. This video will not be displayed at Westchester County Airport. At a time when we should be focused on ensuring stability, collaboration and preparedness, this type of messaging only distracts from the real issues and undermines public trust”, Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said in a statement.
Kristi Noem is using TSA lines in our public airports to gaslight Americans into blaming Democrats for the shutdown. This, coming from the party that fired TSA and FAA employees and is threatening to fire even more federal workers during the shutdown. pic.twitter.com/ojdFLk2q8o
— Luke Bronin (@LukeBronin) October 12, 2025
Furthermore, a Charlotte Douglas International Airport spokesperson explained to CNN how the video was not permitted under North Carolina municipal law and the airport’s policies, while a spokesperson for the Port of Portland argued that the footage might go against the Hatch Act, a 1939 law prohibiting federal employees from taking part in political activities.
Despite the many refusals, the Department of Homeland Security has not yet changed the video nor its stance towards the matter.
