White House turns down Elon Musk offer to pay TSA agents during DHS shutdown

The White House rejected Elon Musk's offer to personally pay TSA agent salaries during an ongoing DHS shutdown, citing legal constraints on the arrangement. The shutdown has left tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration workers without pay for more than a month, creating financial hardship across the workforce responsible for airport security screening. Musk's proposal would have circumvented the appropriations process, but accepting private funding for federal employee salaries raises constitutional and statutory concerns about how government compensation is authorized and disbursed. The rejection underscores the impasse over funding that continues to leave federal workers in limbo while negotiations proceed on Capitol Hill. TSA agents have historically worked without pay during shutdowns, though the extended duration of this one has intensified pressure on lawmakers to reach a resolution.