The ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown is unnecessary, damaging to the aviation system, and the result of political dysfunction in Washington, Airlines for America President and CEO Chris Sununu told Newsmax.
Speaking on Newsmax's "National Report" on Wednesday, Sununu said the funding standoff is frustrating airlines, travelers, and federal airport security workers who continue to operate without pay.
"It sucks. It's terrible. It's completely unnecessary and fixable," Sununu said. "I wouldn't call it a political ploy, but it is political nonsense up on Capitol Hill."
The shutdown has left thousands of Transportation Security Administration officers working without pay as Congress remains deadlocked over DHS funding.
Sununu said the stalemate is placing growing pressure on airport operations and could worsen if lawmakers do not act soon.
"It's incredibly frustrating for the American traveler," he said. "It's frustrating for the airlines."
Sununu pointed to the strain on TSA officers, many of whom continue screening passengers despite missing several paychecks.
"God bless those TSA agents, those men and women in blue," Sununu said.
"They haven't been paid in weeks, and they're looking at another zero paycheck coming up this week."
He noted that TSA officers earn relatively modest salaries, typically averaging between $35,000 and $40,000 a year, making the missed paychecks particularly difficult.
"That really hits the pocketbook," Sununu said.
Sununu argued that lawmakers already have workable solutions but have failed to advance them.
"All the solutions are there. The right bills are there that say, ‘Look, we're going to fund this and move on,'" he said. "There's just no willingness right now."
The airline industry is also beginning to see staffing pressures, Sununu said. He cited reports that roughly 300 TSA employees have retired since the shutdown began, raising concerns about long-term workforce shortages.
"We're seeing people leave TSA," he said, calling the situation "a complete disincentive for anyone wanting to enter the industry."
Sununu warned that disruptions could continue appearing across the country. He pointed to reports of issues in several locations, including Honolulu, Puerto Rico, Atlanta, and New Orleans.
"These fires are going to kind of keep spiking up," he said.
The shutdown comes only months after another federal funding standoff, something Sununu said reflects growing dysfunction in Washington.
"You remember when shutdowns used to be rare and last a few days?" he said. "Now this kind of political populism just drives folks to inaction until there's so much pressure on the system that something breaks."
Ultimately, he said, the political stalemate is hurting ordinary Americans.
"The American public is the political football," Sununu said. "They're kicking around their own constituents."
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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