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.

Eric Kulisch

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

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Edited By: tccjeremy

TSA employees at checkpoint [Credit: FreightWaves file photo]

Key Takeaways:

A former TSA official warns that the new administration's directive for federal employees to return to the office full-time will cause significant attrition of skilled professionals, jeopardizing aviation and national security by undermining critical security programs and personnel retention.
This potential "brain drain" is particularly concerning given ongoing efforts to upgrade air cargo and passenger security, with recent threats highlighting the importance of experienced personnel in mitigating risks.
Further compounding these challenges, the TSA faces vacant leadership positions and logistical difficulties with its new headquarters, while key Homeland Security advisory committees providing government-industry collaboration on security have been suspended.

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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.