Can Elon Musk Actually Pay TSA Workers' Salaries During Shutdown? Tech Mogul's Offer Could Cost Billions

Elon Musk declared on Saturday that he would cover the wages of Transportation Security Administration workers caught in the ongoing Department of Homeland Security funding deadlock — a gesture that drew immediate attention but raised serious questions about whether it could be legally or practically realised. In a post on X, Musk wrote: 'I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country.'

The post came as the partial government shutdown entered its fifth week with no resolution in sight. TSA screeners and other personnel are days away from missing a second full paycheque, yet are required to continue working as screening times at some airports stretch to several hours. The crisis has prompted a growing wave of resignations, food drives at airport terminals, and warnings from federal officials that conditions are set to worsen.

The Numbers Behind the Pledge

The scale of the proposal is considerable. TSA's total annual workforce cost runs to approximately $8.6 billion (approximately £6.8 billion) — meaning a sustained commitment would require billions from Musk over any extended period, breaking down to around $23.6 million (approximately £18.6 million) per day. His estimated net worth stands at $839 billion (approximately £662 billion), placing the outlay within his means in principle — but the legal path to doing so remains deeply unclear.

It was not immediately clear how such an arrangement would work, or whether it would be lawful. The Anti-Deficiency Act presents a central obstacle: a federal statute designed to prevent government agencies from spending money that Congress has not appropriated, it prohibits federal officials from authorising expenditures exceeding available appropriations. In practical terms, an agency cannot accept private funds to pay its workers, regardless of the source.

What the Law Actually Says

TSA screeners are legally required to continue working during a funding lapse, with no obligation on the government to pay them in real time — only a guarantee of retroactive payment once appropriations are restored, as guaranteed by a 2019 law. That provision does little to address immediate financial hardship.

The starting salary for TSA agents is approximately $34,500 (approximately £27,200), with the average ranging from $46,000 to $55,000 (approximately £36,300 to £43,400). For workers on those wages, missed paycheques represent a material crisis — one accompanied by eviction notices, vehicle repossessions and overdrawn accounts.

Resignations, Food Drives, and Worsening Lines

According to DHS, more than 300 TSA agents have resigned since the partial shutdown began, with the majority of remaining staff classified as essential and continuing to work without pay. Call-out rates have surged at several major hubs, with absenteeism exceeding 50 per cent in Houston and surpassing 30 per cent in New Orleans and Atlanta earlier this week.

TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl warned: 'As the weeks continue, if this continues, it's not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to, quite literally, shut down airports, particularly smaller ones, if call-out rates go up.'

Congress Remains Deadlocked

About five hours after Musk's post, President Trump posted to Truth Social that if Democrats did not agree to a funding deal, he would deploy ICE agents to airports, 'where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before.' The threat underscored the depth of the political impasse.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he plans to introduce a proposal to fund TSA specifically, though it is not expected to gain sufficient backing as lawmakers meet in a rare weekend session. Democratic Senator John Fetterman — the lone member of his party to vote with Republicans on DHS funding — responded directly to Musk's post, calling it 'incredibly generous' and noting that TSA agents were relying on food pantries and community donations, adding that the situation 'should never come to this point.'

The DHS shutdown, now in its fifth week, has exposed a critical vulnerability in American aviation security at a particularly difficult moment. Airlines have warned that spring break passenger volumes are compounding the strain, with major events ahead — including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the US's 250th anniversary. Whether Musk's pledge amounts to meaningful intervention or a headline-grabbing gesture, the workers bearing the cost of Washington's deadlock have no time to wait for an answer.