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2026-04-07 11:00:15
[White House Proposes Cutting Over 9,400 TSA Employees and $1.5 Billion in Budget, First Step Toward Privatization] (1) According to White House budget documents, a proposal is made to cut more than 9,400 employees and slightly more than $1.5 billion in budget from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), representing about 20% of the agency's $7.8 billion budget. The TSA currently employs about 60,000 people and is responsible for airport security operations across the United States. (2) President Trump proposed last Friday that smaller airports replace the TSA with private security companies as a first step towards privatization. The White House says this move would reduce the TSA's jobs by more than 4,500; plus another 4,800 jobs through efficiency improvements and the elimination of exit lane staffing, totaling more than 9,400 job cuts and saving more than $500 million. (3) The union representing TSA security personnel opposes privatization, arguing that it would reduce aviation security. Congress will hold hearings on the budget request later this month, with the goal of reaching a new budget agreement by September 30. Some Republican lawmakers have already pushed for the complete privatization of the TSA.
