Airports across the country are refusing to show a video message from a top Trump administration official that blames Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown. But Orlando International Airport says it is still considering what to do.
The video features Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem explaining that most airport TSA employees are working without pay and denouncing Democrats for the shutdown. Some onlookers have labeled it blatantly political, while others have said airports that won’t show it are the ones playing politics.
The video puts Orlando airport officials in a difficult position. The airport’s governing board is dominated by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees, but the city it serves is one of Florida’s Democratic strongholds.
“We are reviewing the request from the Transportation Security Administration and reviewing our existing policies,” said Angela Starke, a spokeswoman for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which oversees the Orlando International Airport.
The aviation authority’s board met Wednesday, but Noem’s video did not come up. The seven-member board is made up of five DeSantis appointees and two Democrats — Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings.
Dyer and Demings declined to jump into the controversy. Their offices referred questions to airport officials. Stephanie Kopelousos, the aviation board chairwoman, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Thursday.
Major airports across the country have refused to show the video on monitors at security checkpoints, saying its political content violates their policies and regulations prohibiting partisan messaging. Some legal scholars say the video also violates the 1939 Hatch Act, which restricts political activities by federal employees.
In Florida, airports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa aren’t showing the video, according to media reports. Of the nation’s 25 busiest airports, Orlando is one of just three that hasn’t explicitly ruled out airing video, according to Public Citizen, a progressive consumer rights advocacy group, which on Thursday called on airport officials in Orlando, Houston and Detroit to stand with their peers.
“The overwhelming refusal by the nation’s airports to air this partisan and illegal video is a welcome sign of civil servants performing their jobs with honor and defending basic democratic norms,” said the organization’s co-president Robert Weissman.
In the video rolled out on Friday, which the White House initially said would play at every public airport in the country, Noem says TSA’s “top priority” is to ensure a pleasant and efficient airport experience while keeping passengers safe.
“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,” says Noem, who oversees the TSA.
Orlando International Airport passengers make their way through TSA security screening before heading to the terminal on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)
The Department of Homeland Security reinforced its position this week in a statement that noted so far security operations have been largely unaffected by the shutdown.
“It’s unfortunate our workforce has been put in this position due to political gamesmanship,” said Tricia McLaughlin, an agency spokeswoman. “Our hope is that Democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”
Federal shutdown could have widespread, devastating effect on Floridians
The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1 with Congress unable to agree on funding legislation. Democrats say any deal to reopen the government must restore health insurance subsidies set to expire for millions of Americans. Republicans say they won’t negotiate until an agreement is reached to fund the government.
As the shutdown drags on, Orlando’s airport launched a food drive this week for federal airport workers who are working without pay.