US says it may be forced to shut down some airports over funding standoff

Passengers walk through a queue to enter a TSA security checkpoint at Ronald Reagan International Airport in Arlington, Virginia., Sunday.

Passengers walk through a queue to enter a TSA security checkpoint at Ronald Reagan International Airport in Arlington, Virginia., Sunday. (Aaron Schwartz, Reuters )


Save Story

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

WASHINGTON — A senior Trump ​administration official said Tuesday that if a government ‌funding standoff continues, it may force ⁠the shutdown ​of some ⁠smaller airports in the ‌coming weeks ‌over a lack of security ⁠personnel.

The partial ⁠government shutdown has forced 50,000 Transportation Security Administration airport security officers to work without pay for the ‌last month and ​10% of them did not show up for work on Sunday.

"As the weeks continue, if this continues, it's not hyperbole to suggest ​that we may ‌have to ‌quite ⁠literally shut down airports — particularly smaller ones— if callout rates go up," acting ‌deputy TSA administrator ​Adam Stahl told ‌Fox News.

Most recent U.S. stories

Related topics

Reuters

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Notice.
    Newsletter Signup

    KSL Weather Forecast

    KSL Weather Forecast
    Play button