The outspoken billionaire Elon Musk has absolutely no need to use TSA airport security checkpoints, given that he doesn’t fly commercial, so you might be mistaken for thinking that the current funding crisis that has been causing chaos at airports across the United States would be of little concern to him.
Not so, it seems, as Musk has waded into the funding debacle that has left more than 50,000 TSA officers without pay since February 14, when the funding package for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wasn’t renewed.
Taking to his X social media platform, Musk wrote on Saturday: “I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country.”
With an annual workforce cost of around $8.6 billion, it would cost Musk around $23.6 million per day to pay TSA officers. And as the shutdown has now stretched to its 44th day, the total TSA bill for backpay has topped $600 million.
I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 21, 2026
Musk has an estimated net worth of $839 billion, so covering the paychecks of tens of thousands of TSA officers is certainly something that would be well within his means to do.
In reality, however, Musk’s latest headline-grabbing comments sound great but won’t come to anything. After all, TSA pay is matter for Congress: the agency can’t just accept donations from a private individual to fund its budget.
Unfortunately, TSA officers who are currently working without pay will have to wait until Democratic and Republican lawmakers can hash out a deal that will get the cash flowing again.
And that’s a major sticking point, with both sides blaming each other for the funding fiasco, and no signs of a compromise agreement on the horizon.
The crisis is linked to a Democratic refusal to fund ICE unless major policy changes are enacted. The party has, however, introduced legislation that would fund TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard.
In turn, Republicans have voted down this legislation, arguing that it should be ‘all or nothing.’
TSA workers and airline passengers find themselves caught in the middle of this stalemate. And each day this shutdown continues, lines at airport security checkpoints stretch longer as TSA officers call sick so they can work second or even third jobs to make ends meet.
Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the extensive lines currently being experienced by travelers will feel like ‘child’s play’ compared to what is around the corner if the shutdown drags on for much longer.
