President Trump declared he will sign an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration officers. The move comes after weeks of Congressional deadlock over Department of Homeland Security funding that left TSA agents unpaid and airports facing long security lines.

It remains unclear what legal authority allows the president to bypass Congress’s power of the purse, though a similar action kept the military paid during the 2025 shutdown. Republican leaders have largely deferred to Trump’s approach, while Democrats continue to link DHS funding to immigration policy reforms.

The extended shutdown has heightened public reliance on continuous news coverage of travel disruptions and political negotiations. This sustained demand is expected to translate into higher New York Times digital subscriptions and increased advertising impressions as readers seek timely updates.