Secretary Noem Ends Politicized TSA Watchlist Program That Has Failed to Prevent a Single Terrorist Attack in its Existence; Calls for Congressional Investigation

The Quiet Skies Program is a redundant, corrupted program that costs US taxpayers $200 million a year

WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced it is ending the Quiet Skies Program, which since its existence has failed to stop a single terrorist attack while costing US taxpayers $200 million a year. The program, under the guise of “national security,” was used to target political opponents and benefit political allies. TSA will continue performing important vetting functions tied to legitimate commercial aviation security threats to both ensure the safety of the American traveler and uphold its statutory obligations. REAL ID, implemented on May 7 of this year, will further help bolster TSA security. 

DHS and TSA have uncovered documents, correspondence, and timelines that clearly highlight the inconsistent application of Quiet Skies and watchlisting programs, circumventing security policies to benefit politically aligned friends and family at the expense of the American people. In addition to its own internal investigation, DHS’s Secretary Kristi Noem is calling for a Congressional investigation to uncover further corruption through this program.

“It is clear that the Quiet Skies program was used as a political rolodex of the Biden Administration—weaponized against its political foes and exploited to benefit their well-heeled friends. I am calling for a Congressional investigation to unearth further corruption at the expense of the American people and the undermining of US national security,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “TSA’s critical aviation and security vetting functions will be maintained, and the Trump Administration will return TSA to its true mission of being laser-focused on the safety and security of the traveling public. This includes restoring the integrity, privacy, and equal application of the law for all Americans.” 

DHS revealed earlier this week evidence detailing the politicization of TSA’s watchlisting program under the previous administration.

This includes William “Billy” Shaheen, spouse of fellow Democrat and sitting U.S. New Hampshire Senator, Jeanne Shaheen, being given blanket exemptions from review, while non-politically aligned members like then-Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard received additional screening and monitoring by Federal Air Marshals.

Despite William Shaheen traveling with a known or suspected terrorist three times, then TSA Administrator Pekoske gave explicit direction to exclude Shaheen from the Silent Partner Quiet Skies list. After Senator Shaheen directly lobbied then former Administrator Pekoske, on her husband’s behalf, Pekoske granted Billy Shaheen a blanket Quiet Skies exemption. 

Shaheen was not the only high-profile individual that was placed on this exclusion list: this list also included members of foreign royal families, political elites, professional athletes, and favored journalists.

For more information on TSA security screening protocols, click here.

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