Senator Mike Lee has reignited his campaign to dismantle the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), citing concerns about passenger privacy and security effectiveness. In recent posts on X (formerly Twitter), the senator reiterated his stance, stating, "Tired of being groped every time you travel? Abolish TSA" and "Make Airport Security Free Of Sexual Assault Again. Abolish TSA."
Senator Lee has proposed that airlines assume responsibility for passenger screening, arguing they would prioritize both security and passenger respect. He pointed to the TSA's own website, which details the extent of pat-down procedures, including inspections of "sensitive areas such as breasts, groin, and the buttocks," as justification for his concerns.
The TSA was established following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. According to its website, its creation was mandated by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, passed by Congress and signed into law in November 2001.
This isn't the first time Senator Lee has challenged the TSA's existence. In March of the previous year, he asserted that airlines could manage security more effectively and respectfully than a federal agency. Days after making that statement, he reported being subjected to a "random" TSA pat-down, questioning whether the timing was coincidental. He later shared a video of another passenger undergoing a pat-down, describing such searches as "needlessly invasive, warrantless, suspicion-less searches of law-abiding Americans."
