What to Know About Trump’s Proposal to Cut Thousands of TSA Jobs

TIME
by Chad de Guzman
April 7, 2026
4 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

President Trump's administration proposes cutting thousands of TSA jobs and privatizing some airport security to reduce costs.

How This Affects You

Travelers may experience changes in airport security screening as thousands of TSA jobs are cut and private contractors take over some roles.

AI Summary

The Trump Administration proposes cutting thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) jobs, replacing some with a private workforce, to reduce costs. A Department of Homeland Security budget document released March 31 requested an $11.7 billion TSA budget for the next fiscal year, which would reduce nearly 8,400 positions and about 9,400 full-time equivalents (FTEs). This includes a reduction of 2,462 Transportation Security Officer (TSO) positions and 4,351 TSO FTEs, with the White House stating it would save over $500 million in the TSA’s outlay. The proposal suggests requiring smaller airports to sign up for the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program, which facilitates contracting private firms for security screening services. Congress is scheduled to hold hearings on the White House’s budget proposal later this month, aiming to finalize a deal before the 2026 fiscal year ends on September 30.

What's Being Done

Congress is scheduled to hold hearings on the White House’s budget proposal later this month.

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