Trump budget would cut TSA funding, require privatization at small airports

President Trump's 2027 budget proposal calls for cutting $52 million from TSA funding and mandating privatization of security operations at small airports. The TSA was established after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks to strengthen airport security screening nationwide. The proposed cuts would represent a significant shift in federal aviation security policy, moving away from the centralized public model that has governed airport screening for more than two decades. Small airports would face pressure to contract with private security firms rather than rely on federal TSA personnel. The proposal signals the Trump administration's broader push toward privatization and reduced federal spending in transportation infrastructure.