The White House refused to let Elon Musk pay airport employees’ salaries.

The White House has rejected billionaire Elon Musk’s offer to pay the salaries of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees during the partial government shutdown.

CBS News reported on March 26, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Musk’s proposal to pay TSA employees is being seriously considered, but legal concerns may arise. Musk currently has various government contracts, and paying them, even indirectly, could create complex legal hurdles.

Another reason is that White House officials believe the budget disruption will soon be over.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been denied funding since February due to disagreements between Republican and Democratic lawmakers. This impasse has severely impacted 50,000 TSA (Department of Homeland Security) employees, who are responsible for screening and inspecting airports.

Billionaire Elon Musk to appear at the White House in March 2025

PHOTO: REUTERS

In a February 21st post on X, Musk wrote: “I would like to propose paying TSA employees during this budget impasse, which is negatively impacting the lives of so many Americans at airports across the country.”

On February 23, US President Donald Trump responded: “I really like the idea. I think it’s great. Let him do it.”

TSA employees have experienced two rounds of delayed pay. Hundreds of employees have quit, and many more have stopped working, causing prolonged disruptions to operations at airports.

According to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, outside individuals are not permitted to directly pay the salaries of government employees. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stressed: “We appreciate Elon’s generous offer, but this would create significant legal challenges due to his involvement with federal government contracts. The quickest way to ensure TSA employees—and all DHS employees—are paid is for Democrats to provide the funding.”