Seattle airport refuses to air DHS video blaming Dems for government shutdown

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is refusing to broadcast a Department of Homeland Security video in which Secretary Kristi Noem blames Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown.

According to Port of Seattle officials, the airport declined to show the video, which has been airing at airports nationwide since Thursday, because of its “political nature.”

“The Port of Seattle will not play the video on its screens at SEA Airport, due to the political nature of the content,” a spokesperson said in a statement to The Seattle Times. “We continue to urge bipartisan efforts to end the government shutdown and are working to find ways to support federal employees working without pay at SEA during the shutdown.”

The shutdown began on October 1 after Democrats in the Senate, and one Republican, refused to vote for a continuing resolution to keep funding the government at its current levels through November. The Trump administration has posted messages blaming Democrats across several federal agency websites, including those for the US Forest Service, Health and Human Services, and the Department of Justice.

In the video, Secretary Noem says the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is committed to keeping passengers safe but faces significant challenges during the shutdown. TSA officers and air traffic controllers, both classified as essential workers, continue to work without pay, and shortages have caused flight delays nationwide.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay,” Noem says in the video. “We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel, and our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”

Seattle is not alone in rejecting the DHS message. Airports in Portland (PDX), Buffalo, and Akron-Canton have also refused to air the video, citing concerns about partisan political content and possible violations of federal and state restrictions on political messaging by public agencies. The Port of Portland specifically referenced Oregon’s laws against political advocacy by public employees, while the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, which oversees Buffalo’s airports, cited internal policies prohibiting the display of partisan content.