Airports Reject Kristi Noem's Controversial Shutdown Video Blaming Democrats

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A number of airports nationwide have declined to air a video featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in which she attributes the government shutdown to the Democrats. This decision has drawn criticism from some officials, with one New York county representative labeling the video as “inappropriate.”

The airports opting out include Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Portland International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, JFK International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport. These facilities have rejected a request from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to broadcast a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) video. In the video, Noem warns of potential disruptions to airport operations due to staffing shortages and TSA employees going unpaid during the shutdown.

At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Portland International Airport (PDX), officials confirmed to The Hill their refusal to show Noem’s message, citing the Hatch Act as their rationale.

“We chose not to display the video in its present form because we believe the Hatch Act clearly prohibits the use of public resources for political purposes and messaging,” stated a spokesperson from the Port of Portland on Tuesday. “Furthermore, Oregon law specifies that no public employee may promote or oppose any political committee, party, or affiliation,” the spokesperson continued. “We feel that agreeing to show this video on Port property would be a violation of Oregon law.”

A Port of Seattle spokesperson said the video will not be played at SEA “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 representative for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the operations of JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airport, in addition to other, smaller airport facilities, told Nexstar that its “longstanding policies prevent airing of politically partisan messages at our facilities, so airports are not airing the video on airport-controlled screens.”

The representative was not immediately available to confirm whether there were any non-“airport controlled screens” where the video may be playing.

A spokesperson for Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) and the Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG) also told Nexstar that neither airport will not play Noem’s video due to “long-standing policy codified regulations pertaining to public service advertising prohibit partisan messaging in its facilities.”

Westchester County Airport (HPN) in New York will also not play Noem’s video. County government officials reviewed TSA’s request to play the video, “and our message is clear: it is inappropriate, unacceptable, and inconsistent with the values we expect from our nation’s top public officials,” according to a statement issued on Friday by Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins.

“At a time when we should be focused on ensuring stability, collaboration and preparedness, this type of messaging only distracts from the real issues and undermines public trust,” Jenkins said. “As county executive, I believe our residents deserve clear, honest and nonpartisan communication — especially when it comes to national security, government shutdown impacts, and public safety.”

The video’s tone, Jenkins added, is “unnecessarily alarmist.”

Elsewhere, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) told Forbes it will not play the video. Spokane International Airport (GEG) confirmed with KHQ that it will also not play Noem’s video. Nexstar’s reported that Harry Reid International Airport had declined to use the video, as “its content included political messaging that did not align with the neutral, informational nature of the public service announcements typically shown at the security checkpoints.” The Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri provided a similar explanation: A spokesperson said the “particular message” shared by Noem in the video “differs from the usual security or travel-related communications,” according to Nexstar’s KOLR.

It’s a different story at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Massachusetts Port Authority Director of Media Relations Jennifer Mehigan said on Tuesday that TSA has not requested the video be played there.

“Besides, there are no video screens at TSA checkpoints,” Mehigan told The Hill.

A representative for Denver International said the same thing when reached by phone. “We have not been asked by the TSA to play that video,” the rep said. “We don’t have the monitors … and the TSA here knows that, so they didn’t ask.”

When contacted for comment on the rollout, both the TSA and DHS provided a statement from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

“It is TSA’s top priority to ensure that travelers have the most safe, pleasant and efficient airport experience possible,” McLaughlin’s statement reads. “However, Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, most of our TSA employees are working without pay. While this creates challenges for our people, our security operations remain largely unimpacted at this time. It’s unfortunate our workforce has been put in this position due to political gamesmanship. Our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”

Repeated requests for additional information, including whether the DHS mandated the videos or simply requested they be played at the country’s airports, were not returned.

The DHS had announced plans to play its “public service video” at U.S. airports last week. A clip of the video first obtained by Fox News showed Noem speaking to the camera, blaming the Democrats for any delays caused by the shutdown.

“It is TSA’s top priority that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe,” Noem is seen saying. “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.

“We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel,” Noem continues, “and our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening our government.”

Noem’s TSA video is one of the latest examples of the Trump administration’s use of partisan language to assign blame to the Democrats for the shutdown of the federal government. Surveys conducted in recent weeks, however, appeared to show that more voters blamed the GOP for the shutdown.

Most TSA employees and air traffic controllers, meanwhile, are working without pay until Congress can agree on a plan to fund the federal government. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also said that there had already been an uptick in air traffic controllers calling out sick at a few locations as of last Monday.

Travel industry analyst Jenry Harteveldt told the Associated Press he was “gravely concerned” that a prolonged shutdown would impact (and “possibly ruin”) travel plans through the Thanksgiving holiday.

The risk is “growing by the day,” Harteveldt told the AP.