Close popover TSA Acting Administrator says agents are sleeping in their cars and donating blood to get by during shutdown Elon Musk offered to pay the salaries of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel during the ongoing partial government shutdown. The White House rejected Musk's offer, citing "great legal challenges" due to his involvement with federal government contracts. The shutdown, which began in mid-February, has left TSA employees working without pay, leading to staffing shortages and extended security queues at airports nationwide. Acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill highlighted the severe financial hardship faced by officers, including sleeping in cars and selling blood, while the White House blamed Senate Democrats for the funding impasse. President Donald Trump praised Musk's offer earlier in the week, saying, “I’d love it. I think it's great. Let him do that.” In full White House turns down Elon Musk’s offer to pay TSA workers during DHS shutdown over ‘legal challenges’