DHS says Sen. Shaheen lobbied to remove her husband from TSA watchlist despite his travel with a suspected terrorist.

DHS Claims Political Influence Shaped Watchlist Decisions

The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday accused the Biden administration of politicizing airport security by removing Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s husband, William “Billy” Shaheen, from a TSA watchlist—despite evidence that he traveled multiple times with a known or suspected terrorist.

According to DHS, Billy Shaheen flew alongside an individual classified as a known or suspected terrorist (KST) on three occasions within a year. DHS alleges that following these flights, Sen. Shaheen personally lobbied then-TSA Administrator David Pekoske, who subsequently ordered Billy Shaheen’s removal from the Silent Partner Quiet Skies program.

Internal documents, timelines, and correspondence reviewed by DHS suggest inconsistent application of watchlisting protocols under the Biden administration. DHS claims that these exceptions were granted to individuals with political connections, including foreign dignitaries, athletes, and journalists, while others—such as Trump-appointed intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard—remained listed without explanation.

Shaheen’s office refuted the allegations, stating that the senator merely sought clarity after her husband experienced repeated invasive screenings. “Any suggestion that the Senator’s husband was supposedly included on a Quiet Skies list is news to her,” a spokesperson said.

DHS Details Timeline and Exemption Process

According to the DHS account, Billy Shaheen was first flagged in July 2023 on flights between Boston and Washington as a co-traveler with a suspected terrorist. A second incident was documented in October 2023, followed by a private meeting between Sen. Shaheen and Administrator Pekoske.

Soon after, Nancy Nykamp, then-assistant administrator for TSA intelligence, approved Billy Shaheen’s inclusion on the Secure Flight Exclusion List. This designation shielded him from future random or rules-based security screenings, including under the Silent Partner and Quiet Skies programs. The exemption remained in place for 18 months until current TSA leadership reversed it.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem condemned the exemption, calling the program a “political rolodex” abused to favor allies of the administration. “This program should have been about the equal application of security,” she said. “Instead, it was corrupted for political targeting.”

The controversy unfolds as Sen. Shaheen, a senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has announced she will not seek re-election in 2026. Meanwhile, her daughter Stefany Shaheen recently launched a congressional bid and addressed the matter in a radio interview Thursday.

“It clearly had to be a misunderstanding,” Stefany Shaheen said. “My father is a patriot… a former Army captain, U.S. Attorney, judge, and lifelong lawyer. There was certainly just an attempt to get to the bottom of where this misunderstanding started.”

DHS maintains that Billy Shaheen’s removal from the watchlist illustrates broader failings in the TSA’s watchlisting framework. “This program has yielded little measurable security impact and came at the expense of the American traveler,” DHS stated.

The issue may fuel further scrutiny as the Trump administration pledges reforms to restore transparency and enforce impartiality in aviation security enforcement.