TSA Scraps Gold+ Privatization, Expands Private Screening
The TSA's Horizon 25 plan drops the Gold+ privatization initiative but expands the SPP contractor program, a shift that could affect thousands of federal screeners.
The Transportation Security Administration on Monday announced Horizon 25, a strategic plan that scraps the Trump-era Gold+ initiative and accelerates the use of private security contractors.
Gold+, introduced to expand the role of private screeners under federal oversight, faced fierce opposition from the American Federation of Government Employees. The union has argued that privatization "ignores lessons" from past airline tragedies.
"The administration's actions should concern all Americans, and AFGE will continue to speak out against any proposal that threatens our members' jobs and jeopardizes the safety of the flying public," said Everett Kelley, the union's national president.
The TSA said it will instead evolve the existing Screening Partnership Program, which lets airports hire private contractors for passenger and baggage screening. Twenty airports have signed up to SPP, the largest being San Francisco International Airport.
The benefits of private screeners were visible during the government shutdowns in October 2025 and March 2026. As the Department of Homeland Security lost funding, many TSA agents did not come to work, causing long lines at checkpoints. Airports using SPP were unaffected.
"A safer, more secure, and more efficient aviation system" is what private partnerships will deliver, the TSA said in a press release. The shift could mean thousands of federal TSA workers lose their jobs, while private contractors may operate under weaker worker protections.
Horizon 25 also covers enhancements to TSA PreCheck, where passengers are prescreened for faster lanes, though details are scarce. The agency plans to streamline acquisition of new screening technology and expand countermeasures against drone threats.
The TSA did not provide a timeline for the PreCheck changes or the technology upgrades.
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