(NEXSTAR) – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is rolling out a new video of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the government shutdown, with plans to show it to travelers making their way through TSA checkpoints throughout the U.S.
The video was first obtained Thursday by Fox News. A DHS representative later confirmed plans for the “public service video” in a statement obtained by Nexstar.
“It is TSA’s top priority that you have the most pleasant and efficient airport experience as possible while we keep you safe,” Noem is seen saying in a clip published by Fox News. “However, 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.
“We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel,” Noem continues, “and our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening our government.”
When contacted, a representative for the DHS provided a statement confirming that Noem’s remarks would be shown “in airports across the country.” The remainder of the statement closely mirrored the language Noem used in the video.
The DHS did not respond to questions concerning the timeframe of the implementation of the video, or where, exactly, it would be shown at TSA checkpoints.
Noem’s TSA video is the latest example of the Trump administration’s use of partisan language to assign blame to the Democrats for the shutdown of the federal government. In the first few days of the shutdown, messages from the U.S Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Department of Education blamed politicians on the left for failing to pass a stopgap spending bill, while some government websites greeted visitors with language that painted Democrats as responsible for the impasse.
“The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government,” reads a pop-up that greets visitors to the website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. “HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.”
Surveys conducted last week, however, appeared to show that more voters blamed the GOP for the shutdown.
Most TSA employees and air traffic controllers, meanwhile, are working without pay until Congress can agree on a plan to fund the federal government. Earlier this week, aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that about 92% of the more than 23,600 flights departing from U.S. airports as of Tuesday afternoon took off on time, but several major airports were experiencing delays on Wednesday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday that there had already been an uptick in air traffic controllers calling out sick at a few locations, too.
Travel industry analyst Jenry Harteveldt told the Associated Press he was “gravely concerned” that a prolonged shutdown would impact (and “possibly ruin”) travel plans through the Thanksgiving holiday.
The risk is “growing by the day,” Harteveldt told the AP.
Nexstar’s Alix Martichoux and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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