American Airports Block Kristi Noem PSA Blaming Democratic Party for Government Shutdown

A number of prominent global airports across the United States, including Phoenix Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle–Tacoma, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina, have opted to restrict a video from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that attributes responsibility to Democrats for the continuing federal government shutdown from airing at their screening locations.

Regulatory Issues Raised by Aviation Officials

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Nevada, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused to display the video content at screening areas, stating that the clearly partisan content could breach state and federal law, including the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from participating in political campaigning.

“Democratic legislators decline to fund the federal government, and as a result, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are not receiving wages,” Noem said in the video.

The Port of Portland Response

The Port of Portland clarified that it “did not consent to airing the video in its present version, as we maintain the federal law explicitly forbids utilization of government resources for political aims.” The port further stated that Oregon law prohibits government staff from supporting or criticizing any political party and that consenting to broadcast this video would violate Oregon law.

Harry Reid International Statement

Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport also declined to display the TSA video on similar grounds, saying in a release that “its content contained partisan statements that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational nature of the public service announcements usually displayed at checkpoint screens” and also cited the Hatch Act.

Understanding the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a U.S. law that bans partisan actions by government employees to ensure that public services remain unbiased.

Additional Authority Rejections

• Phoenix airport international airport stated that it “refused to post the video” to remain “in line with airport guidelines,” which prohibits partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, similarly declined, citing “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte airport clarified that North Carolina local regulations and the airport's rules for digital content “do not allow the video in question.” The authority also noted that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its security areas and that its limited digital screens are reserved for directions, flight updates, and revenue-generating services.

Westchester Criticism

The county, in a statement, described the video “inappropriate, unacceptable, and out of line with the standards we expect from our nation’s top public officials.”

“The public service announcement politicizes the effects of a federal government shutdown on TSA operations,” the county leader stated, adding that the tone was “overly alarming” and “undermines customer confidence.”

DHS Reply

A DHS official, Tricia McLaughlin, repeated Noem’s language to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a statement, adding that “Democrats will shortly realize the significance of reopening the government.”

Cross-Party Appeals for Resolution

The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “encourage cooperative actions to resolve the federal closure” and was working to identify ways to support government workers unpaid during the shutdown.