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Rep. Thanedar seeks investigation into Noem’s airport video
The lawmakers said Noem may have violated the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits the use of government funds for non-essential activities during a lapse in appropriations.
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Malvika Choudhary - Sat, 18, Oct 2025
- 14:10 EDT
- 21
The redesignation is a testament to our ongoing commitment to combat terrorism, Thanedar said. / Image - Congressman Shri Thanedar
Representative Shri Thanedar called for a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s alleged use of federal resources to produce a partisan video during the government shutdown.
Thanedar, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability under the House Committee on Homeland Security, joined Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson and LaMonica McIver in a letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro.
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The lawmakers said Noem may have violated the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits the use of government funds for non-essential activities during a lapse in appropriations.
As Ranking Member of Oversight for @HomelandDems, I am calling for a full investigation into the Trump propaganda being played at DTW and other airports across the country.
— Congressman Shri Thanedar (@RepShriThanedar) October 16, 2025
Traveling is hard enough; let's not add politics to the mix. pic.twitter.com/Yh47plbv6t
The letter, dated Oct. 16, alleged that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) directed airports to display a video featuring Noem blaming Democrats for the shutdown. “The video is clearly intended to advance a partisan, political message,” the lawmakers wrote, adding that its production and distribution were “highly improper and likely illegal.”
In a post on X, Thanedar wrote, “As Ranking Member of Oversight for @HomelandDems, I am calling for a full investigation into the Trump propaganda being played at DTW and other airports across the country. Traveling is hard enough; let’s not add politics to the mix.”
Reports suggest that several major airports, including those in Detroit, New York, Seattle, and Chicago, refused to air the DHS video, citing concerns about its political content. The video was said to have been filmed during the shutdown and posted on DHS’s social media channels, prompting criticism that federal resources were misused for partisan purposes.
The lawmakers also cited potential violations of the Hatch Act and Anti-Lobbying Act, which bar federal officials from engaging in political activities or using public funds for propaganda.
They referenced Section 715 of Public Law 118-47, which restricts government communications during a funding lapse to essential emergency operations. “Secretary Noem’s partisan smears have nothing to do with protecting human life and government property,” the letter stated. “She must be held to account.”
The controversy stems from a video message recorded by Noem in which she accused Democrats in Congress of causing the shutdown and implied that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operations were affected by their refusal to fund the government.
The video was reportedly distributed to airports across the country, where many declined to air it. DHS has not publicly clarified how the video was funded or approved.
The GAO review, if initiated, is expected to determine whether DHS funds were improperly used and whether federal laws were violated in the production or distribution of the video.
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