And so it has begun; President Donald Trump has already taken out the trash in Washington and fired DC’s most corrupt.
According to CNN, Trump has reportedly fired TSA Administrator David Pekoske. Trump's team asked David Pekoske to step down. Neither the White House nor the TSA immediately responded to requests for comment.
In a farewell message obtained by Bloomberg Government, Pekoske informed TSA personnel on Monday that Trump’s transition team had notified him earlier that morning that his tenure would conclude at noon, coinciding with the new president’s inauguration.
MORE: Here is the message David Pekoske sent to TSA employees only 20 minutes before his firing took effect.
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) January 20, 2025
"This morning, I was advised by President-elect Trump's transition team that my time as your Administrator will end at noon ET today." pic.twitter.com/ZOn3GktRq0
While Trump appointed Pekoske in 2017, the TSA Administrator faced criticism during his tenure for various reasons, reflecting the complexities and challenges of managing the nation's transportation security. Pekoske managed a workforce of 60,000 employees responsible for security at U.S. airports and other transportation hubs. He was reconfirmed for a second term in 2022 under President Joe Biden.
The TSA struggled with staffing shortages during Pekoske’s tenure, particularly in the years following his appointment. There were concerns about how staffing levels were being managed, with reports that the agency was struggling to recruit and retain enough officers, particularly evident during the 2018 holiday season when there were reports of TSA workers calling in sick, which caused disruptions in screening processes.
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In 2023, the TSA transitioned from its previous pay bands, aligning with the standard federal pay scale. This shift resulted in substantial salary increases for screeners—an average boost of 26 percent, with some employees seeing raises as high as 40 percent. These adjustments helped ease recruitment and retention challenges at checkpoints. While staffing shortages did improve at many airports—likely aided by easing post-pandemic hiring difficulties—security processing saw noticeable improvements, except in cities like Denver, Atlanta, and Austin.
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