This past week, flying in the U.S. has been particularly turbulent! Not only are we in the middle of a partial government shutdown that leaves TSA agents without a paycheck, but planes have also been colliding with firetrucks.
The U.S. government has now been shut down for over 40 days, as Congress remains in a stalemate over the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats are pushing for tighter ICE regulations, such as mandatory body cameras and warrants before entering private property.
Meanwhile, Republicans appear to be using the shutdown to do two things, binge rewatching The Turning Point Halftime Show and convincing everyone that “some gun deaths” every single year is worth our 2nd Amendment right. Who’s going to tell them that firearm injuries are the leading cause of death in children, and not drag shows?
This shutdown has caused hundreds of TSA agents to quit, leaving security lines impossibly long and travelers to miss their flights. At this point, it’s now recommended to bring a blow up mattress a week before your flight and settle in for the wait. Though even then, some people still aren’t making it to their getaway islands on time.
Speaking of islands, President Donald Trump has decided to take this matter into his own discolored hands. In a move reminiscent of 2024, when he cosplayed as a minimum wage McDonald’s worker, the president took on the role of a TSA agent for a day.
With lines wrapped around the airport, President Trump stood there with a uniform on and essentially, did nothing to help.
Allegedly, Elon Musk also emailed LaGuardia, begging to be a TSA agent for a day and asking if there was “a good time to visit.” He still has received no invite.
The fiasco ended sooner than the president had hoped, after ICE agents reportedly mistook Melania for a different immigrant and began to detain her. Perhaps now restrictions on ICE will finally be tightened.
In the meantime, watch out for firetrucks in the air and maybe reconsider booking that exotic island getaway. Or don’t. Either way, it’ll probably be redacted.
