White House turns down Elon Musk's offer to pay TSA workers during DHS shutdown [View all]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: March 26, 2026 / 3:43 AM EDT


The White House has rejected an offer from billionaire Elon Musk to pay TSA workers during a partial government shutdown that has disrupted airport travelers across the country, several sources told CBS News.

The suggestion was taken seriously by Trump administration officials, but there could be legal challenges for Musk to cover the pay, even indirectly, because of Musk's various government contracts, one source said.

Another reason: White House officials believe the partial shutdown is likely to end soon, according to sources.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed Democrats for the shutdown and called for the restoration of funding. "It's the Democrats who have led to this stalemate over the past six weeks," Leavitt said Wednesday. "The president and the Republicans' position has been very clear — fund the Department of Homeland Security."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-elon-musks-offer-pay-tsa-workers-dhs-shutdown/