TSA Drama
A partial government shutdown has left TSA's roughly 50,000 screeners without pay for over 40 days, leading to many simply not showing up. Democrats have stonewalled funding for DHS, demanding immigration enforcement reforms for ICE.
The effects? Even after the spring break rush at airports across the country, impossibly long lines have persisted at several airports, with over a third of TSA screeners absent at airports such as JFK, Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental. The wait time at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport topped four hours on Tuesday. In Atlanta, the wait times have fluctuated wildly, from 35 minutes to nearly 4 hours throughout each day.
The Senate passed a funding bill to pay TSA workers, but the House rejected it, seeking a bill that would fully fund DHS into May. But since the Senate has now left for a two-week recess, President Trump signed an executive order unilaterally paying TSA agents from the executive branch, with checks potentially arriving as soon as Monday.
Here’s the kicker: ICE already has plenty of money. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed last July funded ICE with a $75 billion supplement that it has four years to spend.
Iran War
⏸️ Trump announces 5-day pause on energy strikes: President Trump said that productive back-channel conversations with Iran led him to instruct the military to hold off on strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, later extending the deadline to April 6.
🕌 Iran's new supreme leader still at large: Two weeks after Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei was named to succeed his father, he’s still not been seen in public or on video. During Nowruz, the Persian New Year, he did not follow his father's tradition of delivering a holiday address, instead issuing only a written statement, deepening the mystery around his condition and role in the ongoing war.
🚫 Iran rejects initial U.S. peace proposal: The Iranian government Wednesday dismissed an initial 15-point American framework for ending the war—which reportedly covered sanctions relief, nuclear rollbacks, missile limits, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
🕊️ Vance tapped as top peace negotiator: Vice President JD Vance—who was reportedly skeptical of the prewar optimism—is now being positioned as the lead U.S. negotiator for potential Iran peace talks, having already held multiple calls with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and participated in indirect outreach to Tehran. President Trump made the role official in a Cabinet meeting Friday, noting Vance would work alongside Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
⚓ IRGC navy chief killed in Israeli strike: An Israeli airstrike Thursday reportedly killed Alireza Tangsiri, the 64-year-old Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy commander who authorized the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Tangsiri had been designated by the U.S. Treasury as a global terrorist since 2019.
✈️ United CEO warns of $175 oil: United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby wrote to employees Friday that jet fuel costs have more than doubled in the last three weeks, and that the airline's contingency planning assumes oil could hit $175 a barrel and not return to $100 until late 2027. He acknowledged the situation might not get that dire, but said there’s little downside to prepare for the worst.
More News
💥 Deadly crash at LaGuardia: Both pilots were killed, and roughly 40 people were hospitalized Friday night when an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport. The airport was closed, and around 600 flights were canceled. The fire truck had been cleared to cross the runway to investigate a reported odor on another aircraft.
🛡️ Mullin confirmed to lead DHS: The Senate Monday confirmed Markwayne Mullin as the new Secretary of Homeland Security, mostly along party lines. Mullin inherits an agency now past 40 days without full funding, and notably distanced himself from his predecessor Kristi Noem by pledging to require warrants before agents enter homes and to keep enforcement away from certain locations deemed to be sensitive.
💰 DOJ settles with Michael Flynn: The Justice Department agreed to pay former national security adviser Michael Flynn $1.25 million to resolve claims that he was wrongfully prosecuted for lying to federal investigators probing ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign.
🤖 Melania touts robot teachers: At an international gathering of first spouses, First Lady Melania Trump spoke in favor of AI and robotic teachers—and arrived at the event escorted by a humanoid robot.
🖊️ Trump's signature coming to U.S. currency: The Treasury Department announced Thursday it will begin printing President Trump's signature on all new U.S. paper currency later this year, marking the first time a sitting president's name will appear on American bills. The move coincides with a separate effort to put the current president’s face on a commemorative gold coin, which a federal arts commission approved this month. Federal law prohibits depicting living presidents on currency, but the proposed coin is technically commemorative and not legal currency.
⚖️ BLM activist ordered to repay fraud proceeds: A Massachusetts judge ordered Monica Cannon-Grant—a Black Lives Matter activist whom the Boston Globe named its Bostonian of the Year in 2020 — to repay more than $226,000 in funds she diverted from her nonprofit and fraudulently obtained through unemployment and rental assistance programs. Cannon-Grant, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, and tax violations, was sentenced in January to four years of probation, six months of home detention, and 100 hours of community service.
Good News
In Austin, P. Terry’s Burger Stand brought their food truck to the airport and gave free burgers to the TSA agents working without pay during the spring break rush.
In Houston, Joe’s Italian Restaurant and Pluckers Wing Bar offered free meals to agents.
And in Atlanta, the Goodr Community Market offered TSA workers up to $50 in free groceries and a free deli sandwich.
