Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the suspension of Global Entry and TSA PreCheck last night, to go into effect this morning.
This was purportedly a measure needed to address expected reduced staffing during the government shutdown. Within hours, she was overruled by the White House.
Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America's skies.
(2/2)
— TSA (@TSA) February 22, 2026
TSA PreCheck will stay open, however Global Entry remains suspended. That’s a face-saving move for the administration. What happened?
- The Secretary of Homeland Security was freelancing. This hadn’t been signed off on by the White House.
- It was terrible policy. Pushing all passengers through standard security increases the staff time per passenger needed at security, it doesn’t reduce it. Most Global Entry passengers are processed by machine (kiosk), so that too increases staff resources needed.
- Kristi Noem wanted to be the face of the government shutdown, addressing the real public-facing consequences of a lapse in federal funding, the way Transportation Secretary had been during November’s shutdown. The White House didn’t want that – especially after she was the face of bad optics from immigration enforcement efforts in Minneapolis that ended with dead Americans at the hands of ICE.
Every department except DHS has been funded, so this shutdown is limited. And much of DHS, like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, has funding through other mechanisms such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. TSA is the broadest, most public-facing agency within DHS.
The travel industry objected loudly. The White House wasn’t going to let Krisi Noem front-run their political strategy. She was already in hot water politically, barely holding onto her job. It was probably Chief of Staff Susie Wiles who reversed her, but could be Trump himself.
The policy was obviously contrived to inflict pain on the public. And the person responsible for efforts in Minneapolis that inflicted death on the public wasn’t the person they wanted fronting this. Unfortunately the suspension of Global Entry – which both means more staff resources processing passengers and more resources focused on passengers who have already been deeply vetted rather than those who haven’t – continues in force.
I don’t see any reason why Secretary Noem should keep her job after sacrificing security and spreading staffing thin for a badly through-through P.R. strategy. She served the President poorly. That doesn’t mean she’s out, but supporters of the President who want someone executing his agenda effectively cannot be happy with her (or the way she keeps bungling his Party’s election chances).
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the DEmocratic Whip and Democratic Caucus Chair had already called for her dismissal. They were joined by Senators John Fetterman, Richard Blumenthal, Elizabeth Warren, and Jacky Rosen as well as Governor Maura Healey. Those are Democrats. However Senators Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis – both Republicans – have publicly called for her to be out as well.
It is time to impeach and remove Cosplay Kristi. Shutting down RSA Precheck and Global Entry wastes people’s time and makes everyone less safe. How about we also ground Air F*ok One and make her take commercial without TSA Orecheck like the rest of us.
she’s done. in over her head
@Gary, I have to agree with you on Kristi Noem being the face of DHS. Even many Trump supporters don’t like her (going back to her killing her dog incident) and the $70mn 737 with all sorts of bells-and-whistles (double bed? bar? kitchen? flat screen TVs?) supposedly to be used for deportations rings hollow. Trump can do better if he wants to retain moderates. Midterms are coming!
Bragging about killing the puppy in the gravel pit was Warning Sign number one, which just about everyone in the Administration brushed off.
Maybe Noem’s problem is that she was Donnie’s DEI hire – attractive (in the right light), female, and dumb – which are the three qualifications Donnie looks for.
If she dyes her hair blonde, wears very short dresses, and shows gratuitous cleavage, she’ll be hired as a Fox contributor in no time.
I wonder if her jarhead boyfriend is smart enough to see that she has zero political future.
Why close global entry its automated. She is nuts. This takes maybe two cbp officers.
SHE = ☠️
Not entirely disagreed with the article, but Senators Senators Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis are Republicans in name only, they would not count in this calculus.
Every republican should be innundating their house and sentate reps with complaints about this issue. “Make people suffer” should not be Noem’s strategy.
Expect her to step down in the coming weeks and announce her candidacy for the US Senate seat for South Dakota. She would be running against Sen. Mike Rounds in the primary, who is seen as vulnerable. She would need to announce by the end of March and submit 2,200 signatures to qualify. It would protect from possible impeachment if the Democrats win back the House. It would also allow Trump to push through a nominee in case the Senate is overturned.
She isn’t qualified to clean toilets. Stupid middle American cow.
What will be the tipping point that gets Noem fired? Phone calls to the Capitol Switchboard (google it) are an incredibly cheap and efficient way to reach your congress and senate reps. And they work!
Secretary Kardashian’s only qualifications were looks that Trump found attractive and a willingness to be a bull in a china shop with zero concern for the carnage behind her. This failure needs to go.
This is why politicians can not work in the real world.
I say make them get real jobs. No public health insurance for them
Noem had been scheduled to be repositioned into a campaign position months ago. Lover Corry couldn’t legally work past May. Scandalous.
They should keep Global Entry open in ATL to accommodate those premium passengers
@TexasTJ Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis are REAL Republicans, not spineless Trump cultists.
This shows that she is dumb and Trumpnis smart, hahaha
(Trump actually has early dementia, almost as bad as Biden’s dementia)
We folk who travel internationally frequently should be more upset over suspension of GE; alas, more are affected by TSA PreCheck, so… waitin’ on my prorated refund… *crickets*
Vote for clowns and don’t act too surprised when a circus breaks out
Came in from Europe, they had an employee assigned to tell people GE and Mobile Pass were closed. So much for saving resources.
@Tim
Murkowski and Collin’s blow with the wind.
Noem More! Time for this failed human to go back to Soviet Dakota and shot at her dogs some more. I knew it would be bad when the orange one nominated her but I didn’t think it would be this bad. Failed cabinet, failed administration, failed humans who are failing America.
Blue (or at least moderate) WAVE 2026! Let’s take our America Back!
@sunviking82 — 252 days. Let’s vote!
Why isn’t she gone, already? I’m almost embarrassed to say this; but, kimmiea, Lucky Larry, et al. are absolutely correct in their replies. I had a restless night, actually started considering Amtrak, and then woke up to the good news that PreCheck remains in place.
Are there not any competent MAGA people to lead orgs? I don’t understand the appeal. Of course she kisses up, but she spends a ton of money plastering her face on every ad from the DHS. Basically using DHS resources for self-promotion and the next Fox News/government gig. I would have thought Trump would tire from her trying to compete with him in the branding department.
I’m a fan of Kristi Noem. She does a lot of good things that benefit all Americans. However this policy doesn’t make sense to me. People in the Trusted Traveler programs are the EASIEST people to screen because they are essentially pre-screened. To get my Global Entry status, I completed a questionnaire, went through a background check, and had a face to face interview at LAX. My Global Entry saves me so much time. Since I don’t want to lose my status I follow the rules.
.
GLOBAL ENTRY REQUIRES THE LEAST AMOUNT OF LABOR. THE SECRETARY IS OFF THE MARK ON THIS SHUT DOWN. I SUPPORT HER EFFORTS OVERALL BUT THIS ONE IS JUST STUPID.
It’s going to be difficult to convince her to step down. She doesn’t want to lose that big, beautiful bed that she and Cory Lewandowski get to share on her new plane. They’re all a bunch of crooks.
It’s time for Deportation Barbie to retire and go home to spend more time with her dogs.
Oh yes, @OnePatriot77, soooo many good things. Like shooting dogs. What a moron.
Isn’t it wonderful in a WH that can think on the run or adapt to the situation! All u lib loons w/ TDS that attacked immediately. Where & what did u say with All the mistakes Biden made day in and day out?
Thank you Trump. Administration
America voted for it. None of any of this should come as a surprise.
Wow, lot of haters out there. Apparently the Far Left preferred Biden’s Alejandro Mayorkas as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, who let in 20+ million Illegal Immigrants including Murderers, Rapists, Felons and Criminals of all stripes, Drug Dealers, and the like. Not to mention the $ 100’s of Billions in Social Costs that they brought with them. Funny thing is, you can print all of the hate you like, but not one of you would want a Murderer or Rapist as your neighbor.
Noem and Lewandowski are criminal grifters. If one can’t see that you are a hugely foolish.
Noem is out. Markwayne Mullin is in. Markwayne, reopen GE!