Shutdown Controversy Lands at US Airports as Noem’s Video Faces Rejection

A controversy is unfolding at airports across the United States after a video message by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem began rolling out on TSA security screens — blaming Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The clip, intended for display at security checkpoints, quickly drew backlash for what many airports described as overtly political content. From New York to Las Vegas, airport authorities cited regulations that prohibit partisan messaging and declined to air the video.

Even in Republican-led states such as Utah and Montana, officials refused to show it, saying they wanted to remain neutral. Legal experts say the video could violate the Hatch Act, which restricts political activity by federal employees using government resources.

Some airports, including Albany International, briefly played the video before pulling it down amid public pressure and internal review. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security maintains that the message was meant to inform travelers during the shutdown, not to politicize airport operations.

As the debate grows, airports are now caught between federal pressure and public trust.