MOST OF THE TRAVELERS WE TALKED TO TODAY SAID THEY HAVEN’T SEEN THE VIDEO, AND THEY’RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ITS CONTENT. IT WOULD BE SHOWN ON ONE OF THESE BIG SCREENS HERE IN FRONT OF THE TSA CHECKPOINT AT BWI MARSHALL AIRPORT. BUT BWI SAYS THEY ARE NOT SHOWING IT. THEY’RE REVIEWING IT. I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHY SOME AIRPORTS MAY NOT WANT TO SHOW THAT VIDEO. THE VIDEO FEATURES HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM. IT’S DESIGNED TO PLAY ON SCREENS AT TSA CHECKPOINTS, AT AIRPORTS AROUND THE COUNTRY. DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS REFUSED 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. BUT YOU WON’T SEE THE VIDEO AT MANY AIRPORTS, INCLUDING BWI, THURGOOD MARSHALL. THEY DIDN’T WANT TO CAUSE ANY DISRUPTION AMONG PASSENGERS OR START ANY DISAGREEMENTS AMONG PASSENGERS TRAVELING THROUGH THE AIRPORT. JUST FOR EVERYBODY’S SAFETY. OTHERS SAY IT’S NOT FAIR TO RUN SOMETHING THAT POLITICALLY CHARGED IN A PLACE WITH A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE. THIS WOMAN AGREES, BUT DID NOT WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED. WHEN YOU PUT IT ON THE NEWS, IT’S OPTIONAL. IT’S VOLUNTARY. I CAN TURN THE CHANNEL OR I CAN CHOOSE TO WATCH IT. BUT WHEN YOU PUT IT UP, WHEN PEOPLE ARE STUCK IN A TSA LINE AND THEY CAN’T BUDGE, YOU’RE FORCING PEOPLE. MANY TRAVELERS FEEL POLITICS DOESN’T BELONG IN AN AIRPORT, A PUBLIC PLACE THAT CATERS TO PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. MY VIEW IS THAT POLITICS IS TO BE PLAYED OUT IN THE POLITICAL ARENA, AND AN AIRPORT HAS JUST GOT SUCH A DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHIC OF PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT BELIEFS THAT THERE’S REALLY, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE FOUND OFFENSIVE BY A CERTAIN GROUP OR GROUPS. COINCIDENTALLY, WE RAN INTO TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY HERE AT BWI TODAY, BUT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ASK HIM ANY QUESTIONS AT B
BWI-Marshall joins group of airports refusing to air Homeland Secretary’s message
Updated: 6:20 PM EDT Oct 14, 2025
The Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport joined other airports across the U.S. that refuse to air Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s message on the government shutdown. WBAL-TV 11 News confirmed on Tuesday that BWI-Marshall has joined airports in Las Vegas, Charlotte, Phoenix and Westchester County who say Noem’s video goes against their policy or regulations because of its political content.In the video, Noem blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown and its impacts on operations to screen travelers.”It could be offensive to roughly half of the travelers that are in an airport at any given time, so I can certainly understand their decision,” said Andy Milligan, a traveler.”They don’t want to cause any disruptions of passengers or start any disagreements among passengers traveling through the airport, just for everybody’s safety,” said Shane Shrader.Many travelers feel politics don’t belong in an airport. Some airports agree while citing the Hatch Act, a law prohibiting political activities for federal employees to ensure government programs are non-partisan.”My best view is that politics are to be played out in a political arena. An airport has such a diverse demographic of people with different beliefs that it could be found offensive by a certain group or groups,” Milligan said.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
LINTHICUM, Md. —
The Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport joined other airports across the U.S. that refuse to air Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s message on the government shutdown.
WBAL-TV 11 News confirmed on Tuesday that BWI-Marshall has joined airports in Las Vegas, Charlotte, Phoenix and Westchester County who say Noem’s video goes against their policy or regulations because of its political content.
In the video, Noem blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown and its impacts on operations to screen travelers.
“It could be offensive to roughly half of the travelers that are in an airport at any given time, so I can certainly understand their decision,” said Andy Milligan, a traveler.
“They don’t want to cause any disruptions of passengers or start any disagreements among passengers traveling through the airport, just for everybody’s safety,” said Shane Shrader.
Many travelers feel politics don’t belong in an airport. Some airports agree while citing the Hatch Act, a law prohibiting political activities for federal employees to ensure government programs are non-partisan.
“My best view is that politics are to be played out in a political arena. An airport has such a diverse demographic of people with different beliefs that it could be found offensive by a certain group or groups,” Milligan said.