Elon Musk has offered to pay TSA workers amid the DHS funding lockdown, while Trump has plans to send ICE agents to US airports.
Billionaire Elon Musk‘s offer to pay the salaries of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers has drawn massive praise on social media from netizens and US government officials alike.
As the partial government shutdown stretches on amid the ongoing funding impasse, Department of Homeland Security employees are facing a financial crisis. Many have been forced to work without pay, forcing them to earn money on the side or cut back on expenses.
In February, the majority of Democrats agreed to withhold funds from DHS after two US citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, were killed at the hands of immigration authorities in Minnesota.
Currently, the budget battle over TSA’s parent agency is in its fifth week. According to Reuters, TSA personnel are just days away from missing a second full paycheck. Federal data cited by US reports suggests that TSA employees earn an average of $61,000 annually.
While the funding remains frozen, airports are holding food drives and accepting donations for security screeners.
US officials and netizens praise Elon Musk’s proposal
Many banded together to praise Musk’s offer, with some reflecting on how it would bring positive change for TSA workers currently grappling with the financial crisis.
Fox News’ Laura Ingraham re-shared Musk’s tweet on Saturday and wrote, “I just told a few TSA workers at Dulles this news. Huge smiles and a ‘For real?’ and ‘No way!’” In a separate tweet, she said, “Elon to the rescue–again!”
Meanwhile, US Senator John Fetterman called his plan “incredibly generous.” The Democratic politician reiterated his stance against his fellow party lawmakers holding out against funding DHS over their criticism of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations under the second Donald Trump administration.
“TSA agents across the country are relying on food pantries and c
ommunity donations just to get by,” he wrote on X. “I remain the lone Dem to vote with my Republican colleagues to fully fund DHS and get people paid. It should never come to this point.”
American actor Kevin Sorbo also lauded Musk’s initiative. He tweeted, “A private citizen is doing more than our entire senate right now. Amazing work Elon, I commend you.”
Meanwhile, a self-proclaimed ‘American Supremacist’ on X added, “My Senator, Elizabeth Warren, bitches and complains that billionaires are so evil, but Elon is about to pay the salary of 60,000 TSA employees because she and her party have decided they now represent illegal aliens instead of American citizens.
Attorney General for Texas, Ken Paxton, took a sarcastic dig at the officials fuelling the funding impasse. “Wow. This is leadership,” he said.
US Rep Anna Paulina Luna chimed in, “Elon just proved the Senate HAS failed the American people. Thune for REFUSING to embrace the talking filibuster or remove filibuster and open up the government/passing voter ID. AND Schumer & Senate Dems for willing to force TSA, USCG, & DHS to go without paychecks.”
US Senator Ron Johnson wrote: “Elon is a true patriot. Let’s hope and pray our laws allow it.”
MAGA influencer Benny Johnson called Musk an “absolute legend and patriot.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said, “A lot of travelers will appreciate this if it comes to fruition. Unbelievable flight delays occurring all over the country right now.”
Megyn Kelly also joined the hype train, while noting that Musk was pitching in for the leadership here. “Holy cow this is incredible. But also totally not his responsibility,” she tweeted.
What’s next for US airports?
US President Donald Trump threatened to deploy federal immigration agents to US airports unless Democrats agree to fund the DHS. “I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before,” he wrote in a Truth Social post on the same day as Elon’s tweet.
In a separate post that day, he added, “I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, ‘GET READY.’ NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES!”
It remains uncertain when further talks on a vote on the new funding proposal will take place. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Friday that bipartisan negotiators have narrowed down the disputes over the issues that still need to be resolved.
Credits: US
