Elon Musk has proposed personally covering the salaries of Transportation Security Administration personnel as the ongoing government funding standoff continues to disrupt airports across the United States.
“I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country,” Musk said in an X post this morning.
His proposal comes as the partial government shutdown stretches beyond a month, with lawmakers still unable to agree on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that oversees the TSA.
As a result of the funding lapse, TSA agents have been reporting to work without pay, leading to increased absences, longer security lines, and growing concerns about maintaining adequate protection against potential threats.
Republicans have been advocating for full funding of the Department of Homeland Security, while Democrats have pushed for separate funding measures for specific agencies such as the TSA that would not include immigration-related operations.
Despite the shutdown, TSA officers are classified as essential personnel and must continue working, even though their paychecks may be delayed.
Musk’s offer appeared intended to relieve mounting pressure on the system as staffing shortages worsen and passenger congestion increases.
Airports across the country have been hit with significant delays, with some security wait times surpassing three hours due to high levels of absenteeism among TSA workers. Airports most affected include Houston’s Hobby and Bush Intercontinental, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong, and Philadelphia International.
Video recorded early Thursday morning at Philadelphia International Airport showed large crowds of travelers packed onto escalators and elevators while waiting to pass through security checkpoints.
The situation comes as a leading TSA union official cautioned Thursday that security challenges tied to the shutdown are expected to “get worse,” particularly as the agency has been operating under a hiring freeze since last year.
It is not yet clear how Musk’s proposal would be implemented or whether federal law would allow a private individual to directly pay government employees.