LINTHICUM, Md. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made an unannounced appearance at BWI Airport earlier this week.
Duffy's visit comes as we enter the third week of a federal government shutdown, leaving thousands of employees furloughed or forced to work without pay.
TSA agents and Air Traffic Controllers are among those going without a paycheck.
Talk about heroes! The tower is fully staffed with air traffic controllers who are working without pay at @BWI_Airport.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) October 14, 2025
These are patriotic Americans working hard while the Democrats play politics with a government shutdown. pic.twitter.com/Xq7XrV8Z0N
There's concern this could eventually cause a rise in flight cancellations or delays.
For now Duffy says BWI's Air Traffic Control tower remains fully staffed, however he took a shot at Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who has blamed President Donald Trump and Republicans for the shutdown.
"Governor Moore, which is it?" Duffy wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "You can’t have it both ways. Don’t say you support America’s air traffic controllers and then back the Schumer-Jefferies shakedown."
Last week Moore and Maryland's Congressional leaders rallied at BWI in support of federal workers affected by the shutdown.
Both political parties have accused the other of failing to compromise.
Democrats are demanding an extension of Obamacare subsidies that expire at year's end.
Republicans, meanwhile, prefer to negotiate healthcare policy down the road, but for now, want to pass a clean funding bill, without any new spending attached.
As it stands now, the Senate needs 60 votes to reopen the government, for which they remain far short of.
