Major U.S. Airports Block Kristi Noem Video Blaming Democrats for Shutdown

Several major U.S. airports have refused to broadcast a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in which she attributes the ongoing government shutdown to congressional Democrats. Airport officials cited concerns about political messaging and potential violations of the Hatch Act, which limits certain political activities by federal employees.

In the video, Noem claims, “Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many operations are impacted, and most TSA employees are working without pay.” The video concludes with a call for Democrats to act to reopen the government.

Airports in New York (LaGuardia, JFK, Newark), Charlotte, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, Portland, and Miami have all declined to display the video. Authorities explained that their internal policies prohibit politically partisan content and noted that broadcasting the video could be interpreted as a violation of federal law, including the Hatch Act.

For example, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages several major airports in the region, emphasized that longstanding policies prohibit airing partisan political content. Similarly, officials at Miami International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport confirmed they would not display the video, stressing the importance of political neutrality in federally regulated facilities.

The refusal has sparked debate about the use of federal resources for political purposes. Senator Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, called for an investigation, arguing that Noem’s video may constitute a violation of the Hatch Act.

The video comes amid the ongoing government shutdown, which began October 1, 2025. The shutdown has disrupted federal operations, including TSA staffing: approximately 61,000 of 64,000 TSA employees are currently working without pay. Despite these challenges, many airports have reported minimal travel delays, with some seeing record traffic over the Columbus Day weekend.

The controversy highlights the tension between political messaging and federal employees’ obligation to maintain neutrality. Airport authorities are taking precautions to ensure that public facilities are not used for partisan purposes, a principle that is particularly important during periods of heightened political activity and public scrutiny.

This decision also underscores broader questions about the limits of federal officials’ communications during government shutdowns. While Noem’s video was intended to inform travelers about the impacts of the shutdown, officials argue that blaming a specific political party crosses the line into partisan activity, which federal law strictly regulates.

As the situation develops, observers will be watching how the federal government balances public information efforts with legal restrictions on political advocacy by officials, particularly in sensitive public spaces like airports.

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