Trump tells TSA agents to 'go to work' amid partial shutdown

President Donald Trump expressed appreciation for Transportation Security Administration agents and urged them to "go to work" amid the partial government shutdown that has left TSA employees working without pay.

Trump thanked working TSA agents on social media March 15, calling them "great" while also blaming "Radical Left Democrats" for the lack of pay.

"Keep fighting for the USA. GO TO WORK!" Trump wrote in the March 15 post on Truth Social. "I promise that I will never forget you!!!"

Trump's message comes as airports across the United States see long security lines and TSA agents continue working without pay, with Friday, March 13 marking the first time workers missed their full paychecks.

The wait times and pay changes are a result of a partial shutdown that began in mid-February after Congress failed to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA. 

Around 50,000 TSA officers are continuing to work but without regular pay during the funding lapse, raising concerns about staffing shortages and absenteeism as spring break travel ramps up throughout the month of March. Johnny Jones, Secretary-Treasurer of AFGE TSA Council 100 and a Dallas-based TSA worker, previously told USA TODAY that several airport security workers are already running out of money to cover their bills, with some employees reporting their bank accounts are at zero or negative.

Trump named TSA worker Jones in his social media post from March 15, thanking him along with other agents who are "going to work but not being paid."

Agents like Jones are not the only ones calling for the shutdown to end. Most recently, CEOs from Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Atlas Air Worldwide, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Airlines for America, FedEx and UPS called on Congress to immediately fund DHS to alleviate the lack of pay and long wait times people are experiencing.

Contributing: Rachel Barber and Zach Wichter, USA TODAY

Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] or on X @katecperez_.