DHS Confirms Democratic Senator's Husband Removed from Biden TSA Watchlist Despite Alleged Terrorist Ties

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a rare and pointed alert raising concerns about alleged "corruption" within the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The agency accuses long-serving Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire of pressuring the Biden administration to remove her husband, William "Billy" Shaheen, from a TSA watchlist—despite claims he traveled multiple times with an individual classified as a "known or suspected terrorist."

According to a DHS statement released Wednesday, Billy Shaheen "traveled with a known or suspected terrorist three times in a single year." DHS claims that documents, correspondence, and timelines reveal what it calls a "politicization of TSA’s watchlisting program under the Biden administration," pointing to an "inconsistent application" of programs such as Silent Partners and Quiet Skies. Officials allege these security programs were circumvented for the benefit of those with political connections, endangering public safety.

DHS further asserts that Senator Shaheen personally lobbied former TSA administrator David Pekoske on behalf of her husband. After this reported lobbying effort, Pekoske is alleged to have directly ensured Billy Shaheen’s name was removed from the relevant watchlists, granting him what DHS describes as a "blanket exemption" from the Silent Partners Quiet Skies designation, despite recorded instances of travel with individuals under suspicion.

Senator Shaheen’s office has strongly denied any wrongdoing, stating, "Senator Shaheen contacted the Transportation Security Administration after her husband was subjected to several extensive, invasive and degrading searches at airport checkpoints." The response argues she sought only an explanation for the searches and was never informed about any formal inclusion on—or removal from—federal watchlists. The office emphasized no knowledge of any subsequent actions benefiting her husband.

DHS officials maintain their position, arguing, "Pekoske granted Billy Shaheen a blanket Silent Partners Quiet Skies exemption despite Shaheen flying with a Known or Suspected Terrorist on three occasions." The department claims such exemptions were not unique to Shaheen, but were extended to a range of high-profile travelers including foreign royals, political elites, athletes, and journalists. Importantly, DHS says Billy Shaheen’s exemption has since been revoked by current TSA leadership.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem condemned the alleged manipulation of security programs, stating, "This program should have been about the equal application of security, instead it was corrupted to be about political targeting." Noem promised a return to systems with greater integrity, privacy, and fairness for all travelers under the incoming administration. She described the changes as part of a wider effort to restore trust in national aviation security.

A timeline provided by DHS details that Billy Shaheen was flagged as a "TSA Random Selectee" during several flights in July and October 2023, specifically when co-traveling with individuals on federal terrorism watchlists. The agency states that following these incidents, Senator Shaheen’s office made inquiries regarding her husband’s treatment at airport checkpoints. Within days of a subsequent meeting between Shaheen and then-TSA administrator Pekoske, Billy Shaheen was reportedly added to the Secure Flight Exclusion List, shielding him from increased security screening or automatic watchlisting.

This special exemption status remained in place for 18 months until removed by new TSA leaders. DHS officials insist their internal communications and records show the sequence of events coincided with intervention from Senator Shaheen’s office and direct conversations with senior TSA leadership.

Senator Shaheen, a prominent member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recently announced she will not seek re-election in 2026. Meanwhile, her daughter, Stefany Shaheen, has entered the race for a key congressional seat in New Hampshire. Addressing the controversy in a radio interview, Stefany Shaheen called the episode "clearly a misunderstanding," citing her father’s military and public service record and emphasizing, "There was certainly just an attempt to get to the bottom of where this misunderstanding started."

As the debate intensifies over the proper use and oversight of federal watchlists, the Biden administration faces renewed scrutiny over its handling of security programs meant to protect the American traveling public. The investigation into the alleged exemption and possible policy circumvention continues, with questions mounting over whether favoritism influenced critical security decisions.