As RedState reported on Thursday, President Trump took to Truth Social to announce that he would sign an order directing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin to pay Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) workers.
Since then, the Senate passed a DHS funding measure via voice vote in the wee hours of the morning (with a carveout for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and parts of Customs and Border Protection (CBP)). The catch there, of course, is that since the Senate bill differs from the House bill, that throws it back to the House. And — per the latest — the House is not keen on the Senate measure.
READ MORE: Trump Does End Run Around Senate Dems on Paying TSA Workers Amid Schumer's Partial Govt Shutdown
DHS Funding Bill Advances in the Senate: Did Republicans Cave?
No telling when that will ultimately be sorted out, so the president has gone ahead and officially signed the promised order — a Presidential Memorandum titled "Paying Our Great Transportation Security Administration Officers and Employees."
The memorandum begins with some background, noting the Democrats' role in causing and dragging out the partial shutdown:
As the Democrat-caused shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues well into its sixth week, America’s air travel system has reached its breaking point. This is an unprecedented emergency situation. Currently, more than 60,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, including approximately 50,000 transportation security officers who perform security functions at domestic airports, are not being paid due to congressional Democrats’ reckless decision to prioritize criminal illegal aliens over American citizens and shut down DHS until their demand to prohibit enforcement of Federal immigration law is met.
Since the shutdown began, nearly 500 transportation security officers have left their positions, and thousands more have begun to call out sick at record rates due to lack of pay. As a result, security wait times at some airports have reached untenable lengths of three or more hours. These increased wait times, combined with declining morale among TSA staff, unacceptably heighten the risk of security vulnerabilities within our domestic travel system and has negatively impacted countless Americans.
He sets forth the basis for his order:
If Democrats in the Congress will not act to honor the service of our TSA officers, who are now performing their critical public safety responsibilities without knowing whether they will be able to buy food for their families or pay their rent, then my Administration will take action. As President of the United States, I have determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security.
He then directs the DHS Secretary to coordinate with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director to ensure that TSA employees are paid:
Accordingly, I hereby direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to use funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations to provide TSA employees with the compensation and benefits that would have accrued to them if not for the Democrat-led DHS shutdown, consistent with applicable law, including 31 U.S.C. 1301(a).
Once regular funding for TSA has been restored, every effort should be made, as authorized by law, to adjust applicable funding accounts within DHS to ensure the continuation of DHS operations and activities consistent with planned expenditures prior to the lapse.
And Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (LA-04) has now confirmed that OMB is already processing TSA paychecks.
Mike Johnson confirms:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 27, 2026
- 60 day clean CR passed tonight or tomorrow am
- The senate bill is going right into the shredder
- Negotiations with Democrats could continue
- He's spoken with President Trump
- OMB is processing TSA paychecks RIGHT NOW pic.twitter.com/CoQ8V30ADi
Promises made. Promises kept.
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