Elon Musk said he would be willing to pay the salaries of Transportation Security Administration employees as a partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown continued to disrupt airport operations, according to a post he published early Saturday on the social media platform X.
"I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country," Musk wrote.
The proposal surfaced as TSA officers faced the prospect of missing another paycheck while lawmakers remained deadlocked over DHS funding.
It was not immediately clear how such a plan could be implemented or whether it would comply with federal law.
Executive branch employees are generally prohibited from receiving outside compensation tied to their official duties, creating uncertainty about whether a private individual could legally pay salaries to government screeners without congressional action or administrative approval.
The funding dispute that triggered the shutdown has centered on immigration enforcement policy.
Democrats have pressed for sweeping operational changes affecting Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, including expanded use of body cameras and limits on enforcement activity near locations often described as sensitive, such as schools and hospitals.
Republicans have resisted additional restrictions, including proposals to require judicial warrants before entering private property in situations where administrative warrants are currently used.
The White House signaled openness to certain concessions in recent negotiations, including broader deployment of cameras and revised guidance around enforcement near specific public sites.
However, lawmakers have not reached an agreement on broader reforms, and attempts to pass narrower funding measures covering agencies such as TSA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Coast Guard, without including immigration components, have also failed to advance.
Operational strain has become increasingly visible at airports as the shutdown has dragged on.
Officials have pointed to staffing shortages that have contributed to longer lines at security checkpoints and concerns about service continuity at smaller facilities.
Some TSA officers have reportedly called in sick or resigned during the lapse, citing financial pressure tied to missed pay.
More than 360 officers had left the workforce since the shutdown began in mid-February, according to DHS figures referenced in internal briefings.
Absentee rates climbed sharply at certain locations, including Houston, New Orleans, and Atlanta, raising alarms among agency leaders about the sustainability of screening operations if the funding gap continues.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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