Today, Explained – “Should we privatize TSA?” (March 30, 2026)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of Today, Explained examines the ongoing chaos and dysfunction at US airports during the record-breaking government shutdown, focusing on how TSA workers are being affected. Hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King explore the possibility of privatizing airport security—a proposal that's gaining political traction—and consider whether it would actually solve any of the system's problems.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. TSA Workers in Crisis During the Shutdown

• Interview with Tatiana Finley ([01:54]–[10:10]):
  Tatiana, a TSA officer with over 22 years of experience and Fair Practice Coordinator for the American Federation of Government Employees, shares firsthand how the ongoing shutdown impacts TSA staff and their families.

  • Many officers are struggling: Some face eviction, loss of utilities, and inability to afford medication ([04:56]).
  • Shutdowns have become "a norm" rather than a rare crisis ([05:28]).
  • The instability is pushing some officers to consider leaving, eroding the job’s appeal as stable government work.
  • Mental toll: Repeated financial uncertainty takes a deep psychological toll, but Tatiana tries to stay optimistic for her colleagues ([06:47], [07:40]).

  “Shutdowns kind of have become a cycle. It's become a norm now.”
  – Tatiana Finley, [05:28]

  “If I allowed the helplessness to take over, I wouldn't get out of bed. Right. And that is not an option.”
  – Tatiana Finley, [07:19]

• Who’s to blame?
  Tatiana doesn’t point fingers at a single party—she holds all elected officials responsible for failing the workforce ([08:41]–[09:50]).

  “They are using our workforce as a bargaining chip and it is 100% time for them to stop their little tantrum because it is affecting the federal officers, it is affecting any agency that has gone unpaid.”
  – Tatiana Finley, [08:41]

2. What Is TSA Privatization and Who Supports It?

• Conversation with aviation journalist Darrell Campbell ([14:19]–[25:57]):
  The episode investigates arguments for and against privatizing TSA.
  • Screening Partnership Program (SPP): About 20 US airports (including SFO and Kansas City) already use private contractors to provide security to federal TSA standards ([14:33]).
  • Not ideologically pure: These airports span the political spectrum; it’s a local rather than just a “libertarian” experiment ([15:05]).
  • Political momentum:
    • Project 2025 (Heritage Foundation, right-leaning): Calls for TSA privatization and immediate de-unionization of the workforce ([16:25]).
    • Privatization is often argued to save money and increase efficiency, but Campbell warns the details matter: "You could get a good security company, but you might not." ([16:57])

3. Has TSA Actually Made Us Safer?

• Pre-9/11 security: Airport security before TSA was less intense, performed to inconsistent standards by private companies ([17:33]).

  • The Boston Logan Airport's private security failed to stop the 9/11 hijackers.
  • Post-9/11: TSA federalized the workforce and set uniform standards ([18:47]).

• TSA’s mixed track record:

  • “Red Team” undercover tests showed an 80–95% failure rate in detecting prohibited items recently ([19:26]).

  “They said they had between like an 80 and a 95% failure rate.”
  – Darrell Campbell, [19:52]

  • “Zero 9/11s before 9/11” is not a strong baseline for effectiveness ([19:26]).

4. International Models, Privatization Drawbacks, & Political Realities

• Other countries:
  Various approaches abound—some fully public, some blended. Canada uses a hybrid system; a recent privatization attempt in Calgary led to understaffing, mistreatment, and long delays ([20:24]–[21:42]).

  “Calgary actually had one of Canada's worst TSA equivalent security lines...when the rest of Canada was about 10 to 15 minutes. ...Privatization isn't this magical answer.”
  – Darrell Campbell, [21:33]

• Risks of US privatization now:

  • Under a Trump administration, Darrell worries about “cronyism” and contracts going to insiders rather than best-qualified companies ([21:51]).
  • Privatization could mean lower pay and benefits, weaker vetting, and decreased security.
  • Existing SPP airports show it’s possible, but not an obvious panacea ([22:36]).
  • A simpler fix: Protect TSA funding from shutdown-driven interruptions, as is done for ICE ([23:06]).

• Political football:

  • The debate is framed as a stark choice between dysfunction and privatization, but there are intermediate solutions ([23:06]).
  • Public frustration is at an all-time high; repeated shutdowns may be a catalyst for policy change ([24:46]).

5. TSA Worker’s View on Privatization

• Tatiana’s skepticism:

  • Privatization means profit motives—leading to lower pay, reduced vetting, fewer staff, and increased risk to the public ([26:11]).

  "They're not bidding to pay more, they're bidding to pay less...Am I going to cut their salaries? Am I going to cut their benefits? ... At the end of the day, that puts the traveling public at risk."
  – Tatiana Finley, [26:11]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Do we also have to prepare for another shutdown in October?...This is no longer a stable job for me.”
  – Tatiana Finley, [05:28]

• “You cannot be a pessimist if you're gonna try to be an advocate.”
  – Tatiana Finley, [07:40]

• “We had zero 9/11s before 9/11. So under the previous security regime.”
  – Darrell Campbell, [19:26]

• “Red Team” tests: TSA fails to detect 80–95% of test weapons/bombs ([19:52]).

• “Privatization isn't this magical answer that's going to solve everything.”
  – Darrell Campbell, [21:33]

• “At the end of the day, that puts the traveling public at risk.”
  – Tatiana Finley, [26:11]

Important Timestamps

• [01:54] Introduction to Tatiana Finley and her experience as a TSA officer
• [04:56] Personal struggles TSA workers face during the shutdown
• [08:41] Who do TSA workers blame for the crisis?
• [14:33] Darrell Campbell explains how some airports already use private security
• [16:25] Project 2025’s position on TSA privatization and union-busting
• [17:33] What airport security was like pre-9/11
• [19:26] TSA’s failure rates in security tests
• [20:24] International privatization attempts and their problems
• [21:51] Concerns about cronyism and inefficiency under privatization
• [23:06] Alternative policy solutions to privatization
• [26:11] Tatiana’s concerns about privatization’s impact on quality and security

Conclusion

The episode provides a nuanced look at the human and political toll of repeated government shutdowns on TSA workers, and critically evaluates calls to privatize airport security. Both guests and hosts conclude that privatization’s risks—especially in the current political climate—may outweigh the potential benefits, and that simpler solutions exist to stabilize the workforce and protect public safety.

Privatization, for now, remains more of a political talking point than a cure for what ails the TSA.