American Air Hubs Reject Kristi Noem Video Faulting Democrats for Federal Closure

Several prominent international air travel hubs across the America, among them Phoenix's Sky Harbor, Harry Reid International, Seattle-Tacoma International, and Charlotte Douglas Airport in NC, have opted to block a video from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that blames Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing federal government shutdown from airing at their security checkpoints.

Regulatory Concerns Cited by Airport Authorities

Aviation administrators in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon, Charlotte, and Westchester, New York have refused to show the footage at security checkpoints, stating that the political statements could breach state and federal law, including the Hatch Act, which forbids government workers from engaging in political campaigning.

“Democratic legislators decline to finance the federal government, and because of this, many of our activities are disrupted, and most of our Transportation Security Administration employees are unpaid,” the Secretary stated in the announcement.

Portland Reaction

The Portland airport authority explained that it “did not consent to airing the video in its current form, as we consider the federal law clearly prohibits utilization of government resources for political purposes.” The port further stated that Oregon law prohibits government staff from supporting or criticizing any political party and that consenting to play this video would violate Oregon law.

Las Vegas Position

Las Vegas's Harry Reid airport also declined to show the TSA video on comparable reasons, saying in a statement that “its content contained political messaging that was inconsistent with the impartial, informational nature of the public service announcements usually shown at checkpoint screens” and also cited the federal act.

Explaining the Hatch Act Regulations

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a federal law that bans partisan actions by government employees to ensure that government programs remain unbiased.

Further Authority Responses

• Phoenix airport international airport explained that it “refused to post the video” to remain “consistent with airport policy,” which does not allow partisan material.
• The Seattle port authority, which manages Sea-Tac airport, also refused, pointing to “the political nature of the content.”
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport clarified that North Carolina local regulations and the airport's rules for digital content “do not allow the referenced video.” The airport also added that the TSA lacks ownership of any monitors at its security areas and that its limited display monitors are reserved for wayfinding, flight updates, and paid advertisements.

Westchester Objection

Westchester County, in a statement, described the PSA “unacceptable, improper, and out of line with the values we anticipate from our federal leaders.”

“The PSA politicizes the effects of a federal government shutdown on security operations,” the county leader stated, noting that the tone was “unnecessarily alarmist” and “erodes public trust.”

Homeland Security Response

A Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, an agency representative, repeated the Secretary's language to attribute fault to “partisan tactics” in a response, adding that “Democratic leaders will soon recognize the importance of reopening the federal government.”

Bipartisan Calls for Solution

The Port of Seattle said that it continued to “urge bipartisan efforts to end the federal closure” and was working to identify methods to support federal employees working without pay during the shutdown.