White House turns down Elon Musk's offer to pay TSA workers during DHS shutdown

Updated on: March 26, 2026 / 3:43 AM EDT / CBS News
The White House has rejected an offer from billionaire Elon Musk to pay TSA workers during a partial government shutdown that has disrupted airport travelers across the country, several sources told CBS News.

The suggestion was taken seriously by Trump administration officials, but there could be legal challenges for Musk to cover the pay, even indirectly, because of Musk's various government contracts, one source said.

Another reason: White House officials believe the partial shutdown is likely to end soon, according to sources.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed Democrats for the shutdown and called for the restoration of funding.

In a post on X Saturday, 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."
President Trump told reporters Monday, "I'd love it.

I think it's great.

Let him do that."
The cost would be about $250 million, two sources said.

Administration officials had debated whether Musk could give the money to the government's general fund, which could then be used to pay the workers.

An outside individual is legally barred from paying government employees directly, according to the U.S.

Office of Government Ethics .

However citizens can make a donation through an account called "Gifts to the U.S.

Government."
The money can be available for budget needs, according to the U.S.

Treasury.

TSA workers are about to miss their second full paycheck since the partial shutdown began.

The only paycheck they have received was for half pay near the beginning of the shutdown.

The acting head of the TSA said Wednesday that as of Friday, agency employees will have lost a billion dollars in income over this 40-day shutdown and the 43-day shutdown last fall.

Kristin Brown and Kathryn Krupnik contributed to this report.