Trump administration ends TSA’s ‘Quiet Skies’ program used to surveil Americans

The Trump administration confirmed a report on Thursday, June 5, that it is shuttering the Quiet Skies program, which was used to secretly surveil Americans who were deemed potential national security threats. The administration’s intent to end the program was first reported by CBS News on Wednesday, June 4, just a day before Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made the official announcement on X.

Noem said that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) “is ending the Quiet Skies Program, which since its existence has failed to stop a SINGLE terrorist attack while costing US taxpayers roughly $200 million a year.”

Noem’s rationale

Noem argued that the Biden administration weaponized the program against political opponents “under the guise of national security.” She also vowed to launch an internal investigation into Quiet Skies and requested Congress also look into “corruption” within the program.

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Federal aviation security program, Quiet Skies, flagged 40 to 50 passengers for monitoring by the Federal Air Marshals Service every day, with about 35 being monitored daily.

Noem said that the TSA will continue to be present at airports and perform its normal security duties, including REAL ID checks, a new rule implemented on May 7.

“The Trump administration will return the TSA to its true mission of being laser-focused on the safety and security of the traveling public,” she said. “This includes restoring the integrity, privacy and equal application of the law for all Americans.”

Previous criticism

Quiet Skies has drawn criticism from some within the Trump administration, including U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who was on the Quiet Skies list, according to TSA whistleblowers, as reported by Straight Arrow News in August 2024. Gabbard, at the time, announced legal action against the Biden administration, saying she believed the administration targeted her because of her outspoken views on Ukraine.

Democrats also targeted under Quiet Skies

The agency never officially confirmed or declined Gabbard’s inclusion on the Quiet Skies list. The TSA was also reportedly using the program to monitor people in Washington at the time of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots. Some U.S. citizens have had to undergo an extensive process to have their names removed from the list. 

CBS News also reported on Tuesday, June 3, that the husband of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., was on the Quiet Skies watchlist in 2023. However, shortly after Shaheen spoke with the TSA’s director under former President Joe Biden, her husband was removed from the list. A spokesperson for Shaheen said she previously had no knowledge her husband, William Shaheen, was tracked by the Quiet Skies program.

The Trump administration has not disclosed whether staff involved in the Quiet Skies program will be reassigned or if their positions will be eliminated. 

Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief

Ella Greene

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