Airports won’t show Kristi Noem video blaming Democrats for shutdown

Several major U.S. airports are refusing to air a video in which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown continuing.

The Transportation Security Administration sent requests to airports to air the video on screens near security lines, MSNBC reported.

On the video, Noem says, “It is TSA’s top priority to make sure that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe,” according to MSNBC.

“However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay,” says Noem, whose department oversees TSA.

The airports that reportedly refused to show Noem’s message include the three major airports in the New York City area — John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in Queens, and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

“The Port Authority’s longstanding policies prevent airing of politically partisan messages at our facilities, so airports are not airing the video on airport-controlled screens,” said a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates those three airports.

A spokesperson for the Port of Seattle, which operates Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, in a statement, said, “The Port of Seattle will not play the video on its screens at SEA Airport, due to the political nature of the content.”

“We continue to urge bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown and are working to find ways to support federal employees working without pay at SEA during the shutdown,” the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for Charlotte Douglas International Airport said, North Carolina municipal law as well as CLT Airport’s policy for digital content do not permit the referenced video.”

“Additionally, TSA does not own any monitors at the airport’s checkpoints,” the spokesperson said. “The limited digital screens owned by CLT are designated for static content that supports wayfinding, provides essential travel information and promotes CLT’s revenue-generating services.”

Other airports that reportedly refused to show Noem’s video include Portland International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and  Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

DHS didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

CNBC has reached out to representatives for the other airports for comment.

A shortage of air traffic controllers during the government shutdown has caused flight delays and disruptions, CNBC reported last week.

On Friday, airlines told travelers to brace for delays over the Columbus Day holiday weekend due to staffing shortages.

Last week, delayed flights occurred across the U.S. at airports including Burbank, California and Nashville, Tennessee. Bad weather was also expected to contribute to the delays.

Air travel was snarled during the more than month-long government shutdown that ended in January 2019, hours after a shortfall of air traffic controllers disrupted flights in the New York area.

Before that, some airport security checkpoints were closed due to elevated sick calls from Transportation Security Administration screeners who are also working without pay.

On Tuesday, air traffic controllers received their first partial paycheck. If the shutdown continues, they will miss a full paycheck on Oct. 28.