Trump administration weighs TSA, Coast Guard cuts

The Trump administration is weighing budget cuts that could impact security at local airports, according to sources. The cuts could help the White House as it tries to find funding for the U.S. - Mexico border wall.

It's unclear exactly what the impact would be on airports like Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which will receive millions of dollars in Transportation Security Administration grant money over the next few years.

Draft plans obtained by The Washington Post and POLITICO show the administration could cut $187 million to the TSA. It would include programs such as grants that help local law enforcement patrol airports and a program that uses specially trained TSA officers to detect behavior. The plans are not final.

Administration officials said a broad outline would likely be ready by mid-March.

Several former Homeland Security officials criticized the plan for slashing security programs.

Chris Swecker, a former assistant director of the FBI, said agencies like the TSA are “bloated” and could likely continue to operate successfully post-cuts.

"Those in business know that the amount of money you spend on a problem is not a success indicator," Swecker said. "There was a lot of hysteria after 9/11. I think we spent a lot of money just to say we were spending money on security."

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