Long lines and delays at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have become a flashpoint in the competitive United States Senate race in Georgia.
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) faced immediate criticism from Republican primary candidates in his state for voting against funding the Department of Homeland Security, which has resulted in TSA agents and other essential DHS personnel working without pay. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was the lone Democrat who voted to fund the DHS.
“Jon Ossoff and Democrats caused this to protect illegal aliens. That’s it,” Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) posted to X in response to a <a href="https://x.com/MikeCollinsGA/status/2035727466375905481?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> showing the lines. The airport had informed travelers to arrive four hours early for their flights on Monday.
Former NCAA football coach and Republican Senate hopeful Derek Dooley pointed out the contrast between Fetterman and Ossoff on the shutdown in a video he posted from the airport on Sunday.
“It&#8217;s ridiculous. That&#8217;s exactly why we need new leadership in D.C. This is nothing about the people. We need leaders who are gonna put their people first,” <a href="https://x.com/DerekDooleyGA/status/2035810012681920769?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dooley</a> said.
“Just a bunch of politics. Come on, Ossoff. Fetterman agrees. He&#8217;s not for this. He&#8217;s a Democrat. And listen, where&#8217;s the rest of Congress?” he said, calling for a solution to resolve the shutdown, which started over disagreements about federal immigration enforcement policies.
Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) dubbed it the “Schumer-Ossoff Shutdown” in one <a href="https://x.com/RepBuddyCarter/status/2036100550035411339?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a>, and plainly stated in another <a href="https://x.com/RepBuddyCarter/status/2036111733102661690?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> that the six-hour lines at TSA in Atlanta are “because Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff voted to SHUT DOWN the Department of Homeland Security.”
As negotiations continue in Washington, Senate Democrats have argued that Republicans are not interested in funding TSA. Republicans voted against a move by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to fund federal airport employees, though it would leave out other agencies within DHS.
“Donald Trump’s obstruction is denying TSA workers pay and creating havoc at airports. While negotiations continue over ICE, there is no reason TSA should be held hostage. Republicans must stop blocking TSA funding immediately,” Ossoff said in a <a href="https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/press-releases/new-senate-republicans-block-tsa-funding-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on March 21.
When his campaign was contacted by The Daily Wire for comment on the Republican criticism, they deferred to a comment from the Democratic Party of Georgia.
“Senate Democrats have called for funding TSA for weeks, and Republicans have blocked it every step of the way because they are taking orders from Donald Trump,” DPG Chair Charlie Bailey said in a statement. “We could pay TSA agents and end the chaos at airports across the country if Republicans like Buddy Carter, Mike Collins, and Derek Dooley told their Party to quit standing in the way and get it done.”
A 2017 <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/04/jon-ossoff-race-first-real-battle-millennials-vs-trump-1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mother Jones</a> story noted that Ossoff has had a pilot&#8217;s license since he was a teen, and described his plans at the time to rent a Cessna plane for a short hiking trip in the Appalachian Mountains with his friends. <a href="https://freebeacon.com/elections/ossoff-whose-father-took-1-mil-from-govt-relief-fund-slams-greedy-business-owners-for-raiding-ppp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Free Beacon</a> reported in 2020 that Ossoff’s businessman father bought a private plane in 2014.
As for the Republicans in the race, President Donald Trump has yet to make an endorsement ahead of May 19. Whoever wins the race will be in one of the most competitive elections in the country in 2026. Ossoff is the only incumbent Democrat in a “toss-up” race, according to the <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cook Political Report</a>.
“Jon Ossoff cares more about protecting illegals like Laken Riley&#8217;s killer than standing with hardworking Georgians,” National Republican Senatorial Committee Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia stated. “Ossoff never refuses a chance to use Georgians as political pawns. Ossoff must stop putting illegals first and end his DHS shutdown.”
ICE agents were sent to assist at airports across the nation on Monday, including Hartsfield-Jackson, as hundreds of TSA agents have called out or quit. The Atlanta airport alone had a callout rate of 41.5% on Sunday, according to <a href="https://x.com/krisvancleave/status/2036100167695507499?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a>.

One In Ten Airport Screeners Skip Work As Funding Fight Drags On

Travel Headaches Take On Political Weight — With A Critical Vote In Focus

Battleground Democrat Senator Slammed For Airport Fiasco In His State: 'Ridiculous'

2026 election

Airports

Georgia

homeland security

Immigration

Jon Ossoff

Senate

Transportation

Some travelers spent as many as nine hours waiting in line at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday, according to <a href="https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/long-lines-out-door-atlanta-airport-ice-agents-arrive-assist-tsa/SIDSKEKZXJGHHNBXBYESLHHYVI/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WSB-TV</a>.
On Monday, the report noted that wait times ranged from four hours down to less than an hour depending on the time of day, as Americans continue to grow frustrated with the high number of TSA callouts. Essential DHS workers, like TSA agents, are forced to work without a paycheck due to the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
“Due to TSA staffing constraints, ATL is continuing to see longer than normal wait times at security checkpoints,” the airport posted to X on Monday morning.
“Travelers are encouraged to arrive at least 4 hours early. We appreciate your patience and thank our federal and airport partners for their continued dedication,” the post continued.
According to Reuters, the Atlanta airport had a 41.5% callout rate for TSA agents, with other major airports having callout rates ranging from 20-40%. Hundreds of agents have quit their jobs entirely since the shutdown began in mid-February.
“As the Democrats’ DHS shutdown continues, many TSA officers are facing extraordinary financial hardship—forcing them to call out of work and take on side jobs to support their families,” the Department of Homeland Security posted to X on Monday regarding the <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/2036121763701002738?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">callout numbers</a>. “Democrats are hurting Americans—and they don&#8217;t care.”
Videos on social media also showed ICE agents deployed to assist TSA agents at the airport, along with other airports around the country, on Monday morning in hopes of speeding up the lines. Atlanta is considered the busiest airport in the entire country, as it is a hub for Delta Air Lines and is considered a major connection for travelers.
Trump noted on Monday morning that ICE agents will not be wearing masks at the airport, as it’s become commonplace for the agents to do so during immigration operations, as proponents argue that it prevents doxing.
“I am a BIG proponent of ICE wearing masks as they search for, and are forced to deal with, hardened criminals, many of whom were let into our Country by Sleepy Joe Biden and his wonderful ‘Border Czar,’ Kamala (she never even went to the Border!), through their absolutely INSANE Open Border Policy,” he posted to Truth Social.
“I would greatly appreciate, however, NO MASKS, when helping our Country out of the Democrat caused MESS at the airports, etc. Thank you!” he added.
It’s unclear when the shutdown will end, as Congress has yet to reach a deal to end the closure, which started because of disagreements over federal immigration enforcement policies.

Long lines form outside Atlanta International Airport

Travelers Spent Nine Hours In TSA Line As Major Hub Becomes DHS Shutdown Flashpoint

Atlanta

Congress

Department of Homeland Security

U.S.

In what proved to be the kind of small divine intervention that gives one comfort the man upstairs is, indeed, looking out for them, I groggily awoke around 8:00 a.m. Sunday despite setting my alarm for 10:00 just a few hours before.
Southwest Airlines flight 1553 was scheduled to depart from New Orleans to D.C. at 12:35 p.m. This was the fourth time I was flying in six days, and I hadn&#8217;t had any TSA troubles yet. I planned to get to the airport a little earlier than usual, but nothing too crazy.
Before going back to sleep, I checked the bachelor party group chat, and everything changed. Our forward scout Will, who had booked a 5:50 a.m. flight home like an absolute psychopath, sent us photos from the TSA line around 4:00 a.m. Miles long. I quickly opened the Everything App (X) and searched &#8220;MSY&#8221;. Horror stories were quickly flooding in. I realized I had overlooked a key factor: spring break travelers.
Having been out on Bourbon Street until roughly 3:30 a.m. with the groom-to-be, my wits weren&#8217;t fully about me. I busted open the two tactical Excedrin Extra Strength packets I had stowed in my backpack for this very moment, swigged down the last bit of bottled drinking water I had, freshened up in the bathroom, and called my Uber.
I hurried downstairs and spotted one of my compatriots passed out face down on a couch. His flight was at noon. It was approaching 0845 CDT. It was over for him, so I left him behind — it&#8217;s what he would&#8217;ve wanted.
My Uber arrived and the real challenges began to stack up. My driver, pronouns stated in his Uber bio, was not aware there was a government shutdown affecting airport activity until I mentioned it.
&#8220;Are you f*cking sh*tting me? Again?&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/Dylan_Housman/status/2035717566815977677">he screamed</a>, immediately growing belligerent just moments after jovially asking me if we had gone to any &#8220;t*tty bars&#8221; (we did not).
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In Uber to the airport. I broke the news to my driver that there is a DHS shutdown. He immediately started yelling about Trump, &#8220;we gotta yank this guy out of office man, he&#8217;s fucking up our country!&#8221;
The best argument against democracy is a conversation with the average voter
— Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dylan_Housman/status/2035717566815977677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I explained to him it was just for DHS, which of course included TSA. &#8220;We gotta get this guy outta here man, he&#8217;s f*cking up our country!&#8221; he bellowed about President Trump. I didn&#8217;t have it in me to correct him. His blue delusion wouldn&#8217;t go far in deep red Louisiana anyway, and I was fighting for my life in the back seat of his Subaru.
We arrived at the airport. Southwest flight 1553 departed in three hours and 35 minutes. I entered the front door of the terminal and spotted the proverbial huddled masses, snaking in line after line around the floor. I glanced up to the second level, where the lines continued. I asked an employee where the line began, and she pointed me to the parking garage.
<div id="attachment_1064507" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1064507" class="wp-image-1064507 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-432x576.jpg" alt="" width="432" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-432x576.jpg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-225x300.jpg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016262-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" />Lines in the parking garage for TSA at the New Orleans airport. (Dylan Housman)</div>
I walked out to the garage and assumed my spot in the labyrinth. It snaked around floor P1 at least 4 times before making its way inside. I had received a heads-up about the garage situation from the groom, David, who had arrived a couple of hours prior for his 10:00 a.m. flight. He said he was still outside.
Despair and chaos have fully gripped the crowd. &#8220;My flight is boarding now,&#8221; I heard one man say to an airport employee nearby. &#8220;He&#8217;s a goner,&#8221; I turned around and said to the two men behind me. It turned out they would be in due course as well.
&#8220;Ground exfil is proceeding well,&#8221; read a text in the group chat from Hayden, who was making the eight-hour drive back to Nashville. Lucky bastard. There was no sign of the copious amounts of Ole Miss fraternity brothers and their dates we had met the night before, either. A six-hour drive back to Oxford sounded nice right about now.
One hour into the snake. Southwest flight 1553 departed in two hours and 10 minutes. I assume at this point I am thoroughly cooked and begin looking at alternative flight options.
Direct to DCA, Baltimore, or Dulles? Nothing.
One-stop connections? Nothing.
Flights from Baton Rouge, Mobile, or Lafayette? Nothing.
The reality of potentially spending my Sunday night at the New Orleans airport Hilton begins to set in.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve just got to make it through to the gates,&#8221; I say to myself. &#8220;So many people are gonna be missing flights, I&#8217;ll be able to get on something else on standby.&#8221;
Then David throws me yet another curveball. &#8220;They&#8217;re not letting anyone in who has missed their flight already,&#8221; he texted me. &#8220;I had to book a standby seat on a full flight just for TSA to let me through.&#8221;
There were no other flights for me to book, not even for standby. I hurriedly searched for the cheapest flight departing MSY that day in the evening, just so I would have a boarding pass to show the TSA legionnaire manning the scanner. $130 for a Frontier flight to LAX at 7:00 p.m., connecting via Midway, it was.
<div id="attachment_1064513" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1064513" class="wp-image-1064513 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-432x576.jpg" alt="" width="432" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-432x576.jpg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-225x300.jpg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/1000016265-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" />(Dylan Housman)</div>
Southwest flight 1553 departed in one hour and 20 minutes. I&#8217;ve reached the threshold of the airport terminal. A crying child snakes past me in the other direction with her family. Defeated passengers, left for dead, sit on the floor of the Hudson News shop inside. We get to the bottom of the escalator to head up to the *actual* TSA line, where I&#8217;m promptly cut off by a dreadlocked man with three small children. I decide not to call the police, for the sake of the children.
I can see the scanners. Maybe I actually will make it. The line is moving quickly.
&#8220;I need to see your boarding pass,&#8221; the TSA agent says. I show him. Southwest flight 1553, which is leaving in 40 minutes. I&#8217;m through. Bags in the bin. Water bottle poured out. Portable charger through the machine. On the other side, I emerge as my flight begins boarding.
I make it onto the flight as one of the last to board. Total time spent in the TSA line ended up at about two hours and 45 minutes. I spent the taxi time writing a letter to my senators, pleading for mercy to never experience this hell again.

1000016268

Drugs, Sweat, And Tears: My Fight Through Spring Break TSA Lines During The Democrat DHS Shutdown

Air Travel

New Orleans

Washington D.C.

This piece is part of MI x DW, a collaboration that brings Daily Wire readers exclusive commentary and research from the Manhattan Institute&#8217;s world-class team of scholars.
In this piece, <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/california-wallis-annenberg-wildlife-crossing-gavin-newsom">originally published in City Journal</a>, Christopher Rufo and Kenneth Schrupp dive into California&#8217;s over-budget animal bridge, a boondoggle that exposes the flaws in Governor Gavin Newsom&#8217;s approach to governance.
In 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom broke ground on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing (WAWC), a project featuring an overpass for animals atop ten lanes of the 101 Freeway in Southern California. At the ceremony, Newsom boasted that the state had committed $54 million. He promised to “complete the job within another $10 million,” before seeming to hedge on whether that final sum would do the trick. Officials <a href="https://smmc.ca.gov/liberty-canyon-wildlife-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projected</a> a 2025 completion date for the overpass, and estimated that the entire project—which includes the bridge and other ancillary developments—would <a href="https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-7/district-7-projects/d7-101-annenberg-wildlife-crossing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cost</a> $92 million, some of it coming from private philanthropists.
Nearly four years after the ceremony, the bridge is past due and the project <a href="https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2026-01-26/la-wallis-annenberg-wildlife-crossing-is-on-track-for-november-opening" target="_blank" rel="noopener">some</a> $21 million over budget. What was supposed to be the world’s largest wildlife crossing has become a jobs program for environmentalists, with taxpayers on the hook for what WAWC leader Beth Pratt told us is an overpass “for everything from monarch butterflies to mountain lions.”
Pratt, a cougar-sweater-<a href="https://www.noozhawk.com/wilderness-spirit-brunch-honors-human-beth-pratt-and-cougar-p-22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wearing</a> environmental activist who <a href="https://101wildlifecrossing.org/partners-stakeholders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">serves</a> on WAWC’s Partner Leadership Team, is the program’s public face. She is also a regional executive <a href="https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Leadership/Beth-Pratt-Bergstrom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">director</a> of the National Wildlife Federation. In 2021, the group <a href="https://www.nwf.org/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2021/05-14-21-Annenberg-Foundation-Wildlife-Crossing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> a $25 million grant from “Wallis Annenberg and the Annenberg Foundation” for the bridge that bears the late philanthropist’s name.
That money apparently was not enough. This past January, donning a hard hat and a “#SAVELACOUGARS” jersey, Pratt announced a possible $21 million overage. She effectively <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=916599217377224" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blamed</a> President Trump, attributing the multimillion-dollar overrun to “tariffs, inflation, [and] labor problems.”
“There’s no boondoggle,” she said. “Given the times we’re living in,” a potential $21 million overage is “not that bad.”
In response to our request for comment on the cost increases, Pratt argued that they were consistent with those faced by other construction projects.
Within days of Pratt’s announcement, the California Transportation Commission <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/02/02/california-closes-in-on-completing-the-worlds-largest-wildlife-crossing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funneled</a> another $18.8 million to the project, well exceeding the governor’s $10 million cap. The project’s total price tag now <a href="https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2026-01-26/la-wallis-annenberg-wildlife-crossing-is-on-track-for-november-opening" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reaches</a> about $114 million, reportedly including some $77 million in state <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/climate/california-mountain-lions.html?unlocked_article_code=1.K1A.-9if.eoqUNFE3ikzX&amp;amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funds</a>. Newsom’s office <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/02/02/california-closes-in-on-completing-the-worlds-largest-wildlife-crossing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pointed</a> us to a press release in response to our request for comment.
Why has a project primarily consisting of a <a href="https://101wildlifecrossing.org/crossing-faq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bridge</a> for animals cost over $100 million? One reason is that Newsom and WAWC’s philanthropic supporters apparently don’t mind it becoming a patronage program. As the WAWC-<a href="https://wildlifecrossingfund.org/california-wildlife-reconnected" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsing</a> Wildlife Crossing Fund notes, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rd-xEKMC0FCDPRwDEgCvXJrjCLS431Dy/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">citing</a> the California Department of Transportation’s estimate, “for every $1 billion spent” on wildlife crossings, “13,000 jobs are created.”
Some of these jobs are absurd. The National Wildlife Federation’s WAWC website <a href="https://101wildlifecrossing.org/crossing-faq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims</a> that “[o]ur Native Plant Nursery”—apparently <a href="https://samofund.org/wildlife-crossing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funded</a> by the nonprofit SAMO Fund and other “partners”—“has prioritized hiring Indigenous team members to help steward the plants that will vegetate the bridge.” The nursery’s co-manager <a href="https://youtu.be/zLcfau1I3_4?si=pyMSbBRjv4x3uQMF&amp;t=414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> she makes an “offering” after collecting seeds, sometimes including pieces of her hair.
Or consider the ways one of the nursery workers and her associates have spent their time. The nursery’s founding manager <a href="https://youtu.be/zLcfau1I3_4?si=kfrzqW220co-6iEj&amp;t=222" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worked </a>with “helpers and volunteers” to “seed scout[]” across the Santa Monica Mountains. Her associates on the “design team” received “feedback from all the various project partners”—including state and federal bureaucrats—for their plant list.
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A group of experts apparently adds to the operation’s expense. A fungi whiz, Pratt says, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/101wildlifecrossing/posts/from-beth-pratt-i-found-this-really-weird-looking-fungus-in-my-yard-in-the-sierr/1222140663280746" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worked</a> as a WAWC habitat designer, periodically <a href="https://youtu.be/zLcfau1I3_4?si=BCpw_81tBakfpUuh&amp;t=597" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scrutinizing</a> root samples under a microscope. A <a href="https://www.aol.com/news/worlds-largest-wildlife-crossing-finally-100025034.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contracted</a> soil scientist <a href="https://youtu.be/zLcfau1I3_4?si=XXwO9pCrNeK1U_V3&amp;t=758" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> his process involves assessing local dirt to “rebuild it . . . as close to nature as possible.”
One reason California supposedly needs this overpass is to ensure the safety and genetic diversity of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains, where only about a dozen non-kitten cougars <a href="https://www.nps.gov/samo/learn/nature/pumapage.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">live</a> at any given time. While bridge proponents <a href="https://savelacougars.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claim</a> that the local mountain lion population could otherwise face extinction, researchers suggest the bridge is not the only solution to ensure their survival.
According to a 2016 <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article/283/1837/20160957/78213/Interactions-between-demography-genetics-and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paper</a> published by the Royal Society, the mountain lion population living in and around the Santa Monica Mountains is “demographically vigorous.” Still, the paper argues, the population could face “rapid extinction” if it becomes less genetically diverse.
California Governor Gavin Newsom at the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing Groundbreaking Celebration in 2022 (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for The National Wildlife Foundation)
While bridge proponents have <a href="https://www.nps.gov/samo/learn/news/local-mountain-lion-population-faces-precipitous-decline-in-genetic-diversity-within-50-years-possible-extinction.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cited</a> this study, the researchers say adding just one new mountain lion to the population per generation was apparently sufficient to reduce extinction risk. If Newsom and the philanthropists were really interested in protecting these lions, $114 million could likely <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0105042" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fund</a> translocations for thousands of years.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Newsom envisioned WAWC as a catalyst for the construction of wildlife crossings across the state. California, he boasted, set aside $105 million “to replicate projects like this all up and down the state.” Pratt reportedly thinks “<a href="https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/wildlife-crossings-california-public-private-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hundreds</a> more crossings are needed.”
Californians can’t afford it. The Newsom administration <a href="https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5101" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projects</a> a $2.9 billion budget deficit for 2026–2027. The state legislature’s nonpartisan fiscal advisor had published steeper estimates and <a href="https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5101" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> the deficit could rise to $35 billion in coming years.
If the state wants to fund a nine-figure overpass project for animals, it should turn to the Annenberg Foundation, which holds <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/236257083" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$1.27 billion</a> in net assets. (The foundation did not respond to our request for comment.) California taxpayers shouldn’t have to spend another cent. Gavin Newsom, unfortunately, seems committed to bankrolling what for now is a multimillion-dollar bridge to nowhere.
<a href="https://www.city-journal.org/person/christopher-f-rufo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christopher F. Rufo</a> is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a contributing editor of City Journal, and the author of <a href="https://manhattan.institute/book/americas-cultural-revolution-how-the-radical-left-conquered-everything" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">America’s Cultural Revolution</a>. <a href="https://www.city-journal.org/person/kenneth-schrupp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kenneth Schrupp</a> is an investigative reporter at City Journal.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom’s $114 Million Butterfly Bridge

California

Environmentalism

Airline CEOs are calling on Congress to end the Department of Homeland Security shutdown as travelers face longer lines at the airport, and TSA agents are struggling to make ends meet while working without pay.
The department has faced a lapse in funding since Feb. 14 over a dispute regarding federal immigration enforcement policies. TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA are among the most heavily impacted agencies, as the Trump administration’s immigration agenda was already largely funded through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last year.
“Americans-who live in your districts and home states-are tired of long lines at airports, travel delays and flight cancellations caused by shutdown after shutdown,” the letter addressed to Congress said, which was signed by the CEOs of Alaska Air Group, American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta, Southwest, Fedex, United, JetBlue, and UPS, as well as Airlines for America President and CEO Chris Sununu. The letter was first published in The Washington Post, according to a <a href="https://www.airlines.org/news/airline-ceos-open-letter-to-congress-published-in-the-washington-post/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>.
“Yet, once again air travel is the political football amid another government shutdown,” the letter added, saying that the “problem is solvable.”
The letter released on Sunday comes as travelers are headed throughout the United States and around the globe for spring break vacations. The White House confirmed to The Daily Wire last week that 300 TSA agents have quit since the shutdown started, as the essential government employees received an empty paycheck this cycle. The Denver International Airport even asked people to consider giving $10 and $20 grocery store and gas station gift cards to TSA agents. Starting pay for agents can sometimes be under $40,000 a year.
“TSA officers just received $0 paychecks. That is simply unacceptable. It&#8217;s difficult, if not impossible, to put food on the table, put gas in the car and pay rent when you are not getting paid,” the letter added.
“But too many travelers are having to wait in extraordinarily long-and painfully slow-lines at checkpoints. Wait times of 2, 3 and even 4 hours have been reported. Airlines are doing everything we can to mitigate disruption by holding flights for late passengers and rebooking others,” it added.
Talks to end the shutdown have appeared minimal as of late last week, with Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), the top Republican negotiator on the issue, saying that Democrats have yet to come to the table, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mounting-frustration-as-senate-dems-dig-in-on-dhs-shutdown?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Hundreds+Of+TSA+Workers+Quit+As+Dems+Dig+In+On+Shutdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“TSA officers have gone 74 days without a paycheck in FY26 because of Democrats’ two shutdowns. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Britt posted to X on Monday in response to the airline CEOs&#8217; letter. “Democrats need to end their political posturing, stop using our TSA agents as political pawns, and fully fund DHS.”
However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted last week that “Democrats are ready to fund TSA. Republicans are blocking it. Democrats are ready to fund CISA. Republicans are blocking it. Democrats are ready to fund FEMA. And Coast Guard. Republicans are blocking it.”

Landing in sunset hues, airplane landing at sunrise.

Airline CEOs Send Warning As Americans Face 4-Hour Airport Lines

Airlines

Department of Transportation

Politics

United Airlines is getting a lot of support from fed-up flyers for its new policy, which would require passengers to use their devices with headphones or risk being permanently banned from the airline. 
The new rule was added to United’s contract of carriage terms under its “refusal to transport” section in late February. At the time, the airline didn’t draw attention to the small tweak, but CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/united-airlines-remove-passengers-who-dont-wear-headphones/">reported</a> on the change earlier this week. 
United&#8217;s new rules say they may &#8220;refuse transport, on a permanent basis&#8221; any passengers who &#8220;fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content.” 
The airline had already been encouraging headphone use for passengers. &#8220;Don&#8217;t worry if you forget your headphones for your flight. If they&#8217;re available, you can request free earbuds,&#8221; it says on the official <a href="https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/inflight-entertainment.html">website</a>.
A spokesperson for United confirmed the change, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/04/lifestyle/united-airlines-updates-contract-of-carriage-rules-to-force-flyers-to-use-headphone-when-using-devices/">per</a> NY Post. “We’ve always encouraged customers to use headphones when listening to audio content — and our Wi-Fi rules already remind customers to use headphones,” the spokesperson said. “With the expansion of Starlink, it seemed like a good time to make that even clearer by adding it to the contract of carriage.”
The policy change was popular among social media users, with many questioning why the practice wasn’t standard across the airline industry.
“If anyone around you can hear any noise coming out of your phone, ever at all, you should be arrested and flogged and then thrown into the Pacific,” Daily Wire podcast host Matt Walsh <a href="https://x.com/mattwalshblog/status/2029542961025822966?s=43">observed</a>.
“The inane world we’re living in where we have to make this a RULE instead of accepting it as common sense and a courtesy to other humans…,” a second person <a href="https://x.com/BroadsideBrief/status/2029555092177727871">agreed</a>.
“I don&#8217;t get it,” a third person chimed in. “Why do people actually feel the need to use speakers? I never did and never will. Don&#8217;t they know how disturbing it is? I see many people using speakers while talking on the phone like they are the only person in this world.”
Travel expert Scott Keyes told CBS News that only a small minority of travelers violate this standard of decorum, but the comments prove that the policy was needed.
&#8220;This is in line with how the vast majority of travelers comport themselves and would like others to comport themselves,&#8221; he told the outlet. &#8220;It&#8217;s usually only a small number of folks on airplanes who are making noise by not using headphones, so this is a graceful way to handle those folks.&#8221;

Airplane headphones

United Airlines Threatens To Ban Passengers Who Make Noisy Faux Pas

United Airlines

The Department of Homeland Security will experience a lapse in funding starting at midnight, which will have the most impact on agencies under the DHS umbrella, such as TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard – and it may have a slight impact on American travelers.
Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who currently serves as the president and CEO of Airlines for America, told The Daily Wire that he believes this shutdown will not have as drastic of an impact on air travel as the one in the fall, as air traffic controllers are already funded as part of the rest of the government spending package already approved earlier this month.
“This one&#8217;s very different than the first. First, air traffic controllers are paid. They’ve been funded through the first appropriations bill a couple of weeks ago. That was the big linchpin concern for us in the first one,” Sununu said, noting how the system had to “slow” down for safety reasons due to a high number of callouts during the 43-day shutdown last year, saying this now mostly centers on TSA and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“No one&#8217;s going to get an empty paycheck or anything like that, at least until maybe a half paycheck at the end of the month, empty paycheck into March, because the conversations are actually happening between Democrats and the White House, that really wasn&#8217;t happening back in October,” he noted, saying that he’s “very optimistic that they are going to work this thing out.”
For those traveling, he recommends that people “keep an eye” on their upcoming flight plans, especially with Presidents Day on Monday.
“So give yourself a little extra time because it is a holiday week, but right now we don&#8217;t anticipate any significant delays,” Sununu said. “And if there are, the good news is the technology’s there and the public information is there so folks can be given a heads up if they need to give themselves a little more time.”
The former governor did encourage Congress to “find the middle ground” and “stop holding the American people hostage over political disputes,” noting proposed legislation floating that would keep TSA agents and air traffic controllers paid through shutdowns to minimize disruptions for Americans.
Although the department’s shutdown has centered on a push for federal immigration enforcement reforms, much of the funding needed for ICE’s deportation efforts was already secured through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed by President Donald Trump in July.
Congress is scheduled to be on recess for the next week as negotiations have moved at a fairly slow pace on Capitol Hill to figure out funding for DHS before the continuing resolution expires on Friday. Democrats have put forth a list of demands for federal immigration enforcement reforms, and the White House has made a counterproposal with few known public details yet.
Meanwhile, some lawmakers of both political parties have flown off to the Munich Security Conference in Germany, although fewer House members were able to go, given that an official taxpayer-funded congressional delegation is unable to occur with the shutdown, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/12/gop-munich-security-conference-shutdown-00779083" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a>.
“That&#8217;s a little frustrating in itself,” Sununu said. “I mean, look, as a former governor … there are times you can&#8217;t find that middle ground in time, and this is one of them, but you don&#8217;t leave the city. You don&#8217;t leave the country.”
“You can go into your own corners and kind of maybe take a breath, but I don&#8217;t know about this whole everyone running off to Europe thing,” he added, saying that he hopes they will find a compromise on DHS funding when they return.

Travelers At Detroit Metro Airport As TSA Experiences Staff Shortages

Could The Homeland Security Shutdown Impact Your Travel Plans?

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) trolled Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) over the high-speed rail project that has been steadily rising in cost despite showing little progress over the course of nearly two decades.
Newsom jabbed at the TSA first, boasting in a press conference that nearly 11 years after the project&#8217;s 2015 ground-breaking, 463 miles of the planned route were finally ready for construction to begin — and saying that eventually, passengers on his high-speed rail would not have to suffer the indignity of removing their shoes to travel.
&#8220;While Texas canceled its project, California keeps building,&#8221; Newsom&#8217;s Press Office posted, neglecting to mention the fact that while Texas had canceled due to skyrocketing costs, California had simply opted to pass the added cost on to investors and depend on government grants. &#8220;463 miles are now ready for construction. We’re past the hardest part, and we’re finishing the job.&#8221;
&#8220;High-speed rail means no TSA lines, no removing your shoes — just fast, clean travel,&#8221; the post read.
The TSA pointed out that airline passengers had not been required to remove their shoes while passing through airport security since July of 2025 — and noted that while getting 463 miles of planned route ready for construction was certainly an accomplishment, the trains were not yet ready to leave the station.
&#8220;Congratulations Gov. Newsom! 463 miles &#8216;ready for construction,&#8217; maybe someday it will join the 20,000+ miles of passenger rail we already secure,&#8221; the TSA&#8217;s post read. &#8220;Meanwhile, Americans, who don&#8217;t fly private jets, have kept their shoes on at TSA checkpoints since July. Enjoy your next flight!&#8221;
The California high-speed rail project, touted by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and originally approved in 2008, has long been viewed as a boondoggle of astronomical proportions. The initial budget was estimated at $33 billion, and was supposed to be completed by 2020. Initial passenger service was scheduled to begin in 2022.
Instead, over the course of 18 years, the price tag has ballooned to more than $135 billion and the ground along the proposed route is only just now &#8220;ready&#8221; for construction to begin. Passenger service has been delayed until sometime between 2030 and 2033.
In July of 2017, President Donald Trump announced that his administration was terminating some $4 billion in federal funding for the project: &#8220;To the law-abiding, tax-paying, hardworking citizens of the United States of America, I am thrilled to announce that I have officially freed you from funding California’s disastrously overpriced, ‘HIGH SPEED TRAIN TO NOWHERE.'&#8221;

California Governor Gavin Newsom Interview

TSA Trolls Gavin Newsom Over California’s High Speed Rail Money Pit

High Speed rail

Train

A high-speed train derailment in southern Spain on Sunday resulted in a horrific crash that left at least 40 dead and dozens more injured — with more dead and injured feared to still be buried in the wreckage.
The crash took place near the town of Adamuz in Cordoba Province around 7:45 p.m. local time and involved two high-speed trains, both of which were traveling at approximately 130 miles per hour at the time of the derailment and subsequent crash, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01/18/world/spain-high-speed-train-derailment">reported</a>.
According to multiple reports, the last two cars of a northbound train traveling from Malaga to Madrid derailed first, crossing the tracks and crashing into a southbound train traveling from Madrid to Huelva. The second train derailed as well after the impact and tumbled down an embankment.
The scene, according to local police, was &#8220;utter chaos&#8221; as injured passengers attempted to climb out of the damaged train cars. The bodies of some of those killed were thrown a considerable distance from the train.
Spanish transportation minister Óscar Puente told reporters that even the experts are confused as to what might have caused the crash, especially since the section of track that goes through the area of the crash is primarily flat and was only recently renovated. &#8220;The accident is extremely strange. All the experts we have consulted are extremely baffled.&#8221;
The northbound train was carrying more than 300 passengers at the time of the derailment, and the southbound train was carrying about 100 passengers.
In the wake of the crash, rail service between Madrid and Andalusia has been temporarily suspended, and the Spanish Red Cross has set up a temporary center for victims and their families near Adamuz. Carmen Moreno, of the Andalusian Red Cross, told The New York Times that they are providing families with food, but information surrounding the crash is what they want most.
&#8220;What people are demanding most is information. And since we cannot give them all the information we would like, there is a lot of tension, a lot of anxiety, temporary anxiety from not knowing what is happening, and sadness,&#8221; she explained.
Spain is currently home to the most extensive high-speed rail system in Europe — and the second-largest in the world, behind only China.

TOPSHOT-SPAIN-RAILWAY-ACCIDENT-TRANSPORT

‘Utter Chaos’: High-Speed Train Collision Leaves Dozens Dead, Some Still Trapped In Wreckage

'Utter Chaos': High-Speed Train Collision Leaves Dozens Dead, Some Still Trapped In Wreckage

Spain

There have been several documented incidents involving self-driving cars in California going rogue lately. 
Earlier this month in San Francisco, two Waymo taxis collided. Then the situation became more complicated when a third Waymo autonomous vehicle arrived at the scene and stopped, resulting in a three-way “Waymo standoff” that became funny social media fodder. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="3 Waymo cars in &#039;standoff&#039; cause traffic jam in San Francisco" width="422" height="750" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hcSvSZpRJaY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The drivers on the road that day were less amused as the street was blocked until Waymo reps arrived on scene to break up the mess. 
Days later, a San Francisco man recorded the frightening moment a Waymo self-driving vehicle he was riding in pulled out onto the road and into the path of another car, almost causing a collision.
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“I already almost got into a car accident. Oh my God. I am never doing this again,” Chris Rogers <a href="https://x.com/ABC7/status/1999328357918322805?s=20">said</a> in a video clip. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Terrifying moment Waymo nearly crashes into another car" width="422" height="750" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JBNddcPDv2Y?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“The other car absolutely had the right of way, and there was no way for me to fix the situation. I would&#8217;ve been forced to endure a really bad car accident,” Rogers <a href="https://video.storyful.com/record/37519">told</a> Storyful, adding that it was his first – and probably last – experience with a self-driving car. “Thank God the other driver was a human being and managed to swerve at the last moment,” he added.
Also this month, a Waymo robotaxi went viral after it rolled straight through a police standoff in downtown Los Angeles. Bystander video shows the driverless car turning directly beside several police vehicles with their lights flashing, even as a suspect lay on the pavement.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Waymo robotaxi drives into active police scene" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p2XoMKwZE3o?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Near misses and crashes might not be as common in Waymos when compared to human drivers, but now there’s a new danger to contend with. Most recently, a Los Angeles woman checked the trunk of a self-driving taxi and discovered a man hiding inside, per <a href="https://www.motorbiscuit.com/california-woman-discovers-man-hiding-waymo-trunk-tiktok/">MotorBiscuit</a>.  
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Woman finds man hiding in trunk of self-driving Waymo in Los Angeles | FOX 11 LA" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qjptZjhmtIc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The incident occurred near MacArthur Park in the Westlake District of Los Angeles. The woman said she ordered the Waymo for her daughter. In a TikTok captioned “This was real life and not a skit,” she can be heard recounting what happened to authorities.
“Why the f*ck are you in the trunk?” the woman can be heard asking the man in a TikTok video. 
“I’m trying to figure this out. This sh*t won’t let me out,” he replied. “They just put me in it.”
“Who put you in it?” she asked. 
“The people,” he replied.
Police responded but did not arrest the man as he technically committed no crimes, FOX 11 News noted. 
A Waymo spokesperson made the following statement on the incident, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/man-in-waymo-trunk-westlake-district-investigation/">per</a> CBS LA News: “We’re committed to keeping our riders safe and earning the trust of the communities where we operate. This experience was unacceptable, and we are actively implementing changes to address this.” 
Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company and a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., which offers on-demand transportation in select cities across the United States, including Austin, Phoenix, and Atlanta. Waymo <a href="https://abc7news.com/post/waymo-new-study-by-robotaxis-vs-human-drivers-are-driverless-cars-safe/14208333/">claims</a> its cars have 90% fewer accidents compared to human drivers.

Waymo

Waymo Woes: Self-Driving Robotaxis Racking Up Crashes And Mystery Riders In The Trunk

Waymo Self-Driving Cars In Chaos With Crashes And Trunk Stowaways

Cars

Los Angeles

San Francisco

Technology

Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) may have endorsed the Democratic Mayor-elect of New York City, but she&#8217;s making it clear that she&#8217;s not all-in on his progressive policy proposals — especially if they would place a greater burden on a system that is already strapped.
Hochul endorsed Zohran Mamdani — a self-described Democratic socialist — despite his unwillingness to do the same for her, but she said on Saturday that she couldn&#8217;t get on board with his calls for free buses in New York City.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kathy Kochul says no to Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s 
free NYC bus plan. The transit system relies on the fares to function. <a href="https://t.co/52xgCMxCrA">pic.twitter.com/52xgCMxCrA</a>
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) <a href="https://twitter.com/libbyemmons/status/1987532950284451991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I cannot set forth a plan right now that takes money out of a system that relies on the fares of the buses and the subways,&#8221; she said during a Saturday press conference. &#8220;But can we find a path to make it more affordable for people who need help? of course we can.&#8221;
Hochul went on to say that she&#8217;d had a number of conversations with Mamdani and that she wanted to work with him where she could — but that she wasn&#8217;t going to suddenly change her position on an issue solely due to public pressure.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NEWS: <a href="https://twitter.com/GovKathyHochul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovKathyHochul</a> right now is a no on <a href="https://twitter.com/ZohranKMamdani?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZohranKMamdani</a>’s free bus promise.
“I cannot set forth a plan right now that takes money out of a system that relies on the fares of the busses and the subways.”
She’s then pressed on “Tax the Rich” chants: <a href="https://t.co/M0wa9SEDMA">pic.twitter.com/M0wa9SEDMA</a>
— Bernadette Hogan (@bern_hogan) <a href="https://twitter.com/bern_hogan/status/1987188552216506417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We&#8217;re aligned on some of these issues. I&#8217;ve made it clear where I have strong disagreements with issues that really do not pertain to the governance of New York City,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;I&#8217;m looking forward to having our teams keep the conversation — a lot of conversations going with our teams.&#8221;
She went on to say that her current focus was doing whatever she could to prevent an influx of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating in New York City.

New York Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Holds Election Rally With Bernie Sanders And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Mamdani-Supporting Kathy Hochul Dumps Cold Water On One Of His Key Policies

Kathy Hochul

Media

New York City

Zohran Mamdani

On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance held a roundtable with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and airline industry leaders to discuss how the ongoing government shutdown threatens to disrupt Americans’ holiday travel.
Speaking to Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan at the roundtable, Vance warned that pilots, air traffic controllers, and TSA agents may seek new jobs rather than continue operating under “incredible stress” without getting paid.
“Maybe that guy doesn’t show up to work,” Vance said. “Maybe he goes and gets a different job. That means greater delays for the American people.”
Chris Sununu, CEO of Airlines for America and former New Hampshire governor, was part of Thursday’s roundtable. He said morale was a large focus of the conversation.
“The whole point of this is how do we get out of this before we have some sort of critical issue where it’s like a logjam of airlines on the tarmac, and things like that, similar to what we saw in 2019,” Sununu told The Daily Wire, stressing that it’s safe to fly, but that staffing shortages create delays in order to keep the system safe. 
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“Nobody wants the airline industry to be the linchpin, and the fear is that the Democrats right now are saying, ‘We’re just gonna wait until we see a big traffic jam, you know, happening somewhere, and then we’ll move.&#8217; Which isn’t right, because it’s not right to the American public, it’s not right to these workers,” he continued.
The shutdown will presumably roll into next week, as no deal has been reached yet to reopen the federal government. Republicans have been demanding that a clean continuing resolution be passed and have voted accordingly, whereas most Democrats have used the shutdown to push for the continuation of Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire next year. Southwest, United, American, and Delta all put out statements calling on Congress to reopen the government, <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/largest-us-airlines-raise-pressure-dems-pass-clean-cr-end-shutdown">Fox Business</a> reported.
“They see the impact and feel that impact a little differently depending on what’s happening in the area because where the callouts have been happening — it’s all over the place,” Sununu said regarding which cities airlines have their hubs in.
“It really does need to be noted that we all thought it would be much worse right now. The FAA and these air traffic controllers have done an amazing job mitigating what should’ve been, by now, probably a much worse situation. We have some delays, but it’s nothing overly significant. It’s increasing by the day now. I think the inflection point is we’re seeing the traffic controllers not getting paid.”
However, Sununu noted that an under-discussed element of the shutdown is TSA agents taking a financial hit, as they tend to make less than air traffic controllers.
“Their decision-making process in terms of ‘Look, I can’t come in today. I gotta go drive an Uber. I have to go work a part-time shift somewhere else cause I need money.’ Their decision-making process is actually gonna happen a lot faster than the air traffic controllers,” he said.
“The planes are still gonna take off and all of that, but you’re gonna have a lot more delays, and it’s gonna affect the American public and the customers a lot more severely,” he added.

Chris Sununu

Airline Industry Leader Warns Flight Delays Are Reaching An ‘Inflection Point’ As Shutdown Drags On

Government Shutdown

Sean Duffy

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