The Tucson International Airport has joined Phoenix Sky Harbor in the growing list of airports opting out of playing a politically divisive TSA video featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
In the 37-second video, shared on social media, Noem says Democrats in Congress have “refused to fund the federal government” and most TSA employees are working without pay.
The federal government has been shut down for more than two weeks now amid a political stalemate — where GOP lawmakers are trying to pass a spending bill that Democrats say must include a fix for expiring health care subsidies.
Austin Wright, chief communications officer for the Tucson International Airport, said the video would not be played there.
“We do not have screens in the TSA area where this is being requested to play,” Wright said in an email. “If we did have screens, though, we have policies that prohibit political speech on our advertising screens in the airport.”
Airports in Seattle, Kansas City and other cities have also opted out of the video.
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