Trump Telework Reversal Undermines Aviation Security, Ex-TSA Official Says

Agency faces attrition of air cargo security experts if employees are forced to return to the office.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 09:55 AM ET

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President Trump’s return-to-work mandate for federal employees could have unintended consequences for the Transportation Security Administration and aviation security, a former TSA official has warned. [Credit: FreightWaves file photo]

Key Takeaways:

The Trump administration's directive for federal employees to return to the office full-time is warned to cause significant attrition of skilled professionals at the TSA, leading to a critical loss of expertise.
A former TSA official states this "brain drain" will jeopardize aviation security programs and national security, especially given ongoing threats and modernization efforts.
Compounding these issues are logistical challenges with TSA's new headquarters, multiple leadership vacancies within the agency, and the suspension of vital Homeland Security advisory committees crucial for government-industry collaboration on security.

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The new Trump administration’s directive that federal employees return to the office full time will drive away skilled professionals who are protecting the aviation system from terrorist threats, a former Transportation Security Administration (TSA) official warned Friday.

Douglas Brittin, who headed the TSA’s air cargo division a decade ago, said in a letter to the House Homeland Security Committee that the the mandate to phase out remote work without sufficient planning or accommodation will lead to “significant attrition, including the loss of irreplaceable institutional knowledge and expertise” and undermine the agency’s ability to recruit and retain specialized personnel.

Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Air Cargo Market Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government coverage and news analysis, and was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. Eric is based in Portland, Oregon. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com