White House Budget Calls for Increased Privatization of Airport Security Screening

The plan, if adopted as is, would mark a shift from the federal airport screening model adopted after 9/11.

Travelers walk through TSA screening corridors at Ronald Reagan International Airport in Washington on March 30, 2026. Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images

The Trump administration has proposed privatizing some airport security operations currently handled by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), as the agency recovers from the impact of a partial government shutdown.

The proposal is part of the White House’s 92-page budget request for fiscal 2027, released Friday. It calls for moving smaller airports into the existing Screening Partnership Program, under which TSA pays private contractors to carry out passenger screening at designated airports.