SLC International Airport won’t play DHS video blaming Democrats for the government shutdown

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SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City International Airport is among other U.S. airports that will not show a video of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for the government shutdown.

“Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this many of our operations are impacted, and most of our TSA employees are working without pay,” Noem said in the video. “We will continue to do all that we can to avoid delays that will impact your travel, and our hope is that democrats will soon recognize the importance of opening the government.”

Salt Lake City Airport Spokesperson Nancy Volmer said playing the video would violate a Utah law that prohibits using city-owned equipment for political messaging. 

Volmer said she consulted the airports lawyers, as well as Bill Wyatt, Executive Director of the Salt Lake City Department of Airports. 

“And so those monitors that we would play that video on are owned and operated by the city. So we are prohibited from playing any political messages on them,” Volmer said.

The spokesperson said airport officials determined Noem’s video was “definitely a political message,” so the airport was prohibited from playing it.

“This is not a partisan issue, this is totally based on political messaging,” Volmer said. “We’re just following the law.”