Does a viral video document that TSA employees stopped screening passengers at U.S. airports as a result of the October 2025 government shutdown? No, that's not true: The clip was generated by AI, and the video's early versions included a watermark disclosing that fact. Additionally, the agency's seal on the uniform of the supposed TSA agent -- which is one of the most important identifiers -- does not match official specifications.
The claim appeared in a post (archived here and here) published on Instagram on October 28, 2025. The caption read:
This is so insane! The system.is crumbling right before our eyes, I hope yall are prepared for this. 🙏🏽 #reels #tiktok #instadaily #instagood #video #governmentshutdown #trump
This is what the post looked like on Instagram at the time of writing:
(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post at instagram.com/p/DQX-pRlDG7G)
The video shared in the entry began with the following exchange:
PASSENGER 1: Wait, no shoes, no bin?
TSA AGENT 1: Not today. Government shutdown. We ain't getting paid, so we're not holding anybody (inaudible) ...
PASSENGER 1: Seriously?
Then, a voice-over continued:
With the government shut down, the TSA says it's unable to staff checkpoints the usual way. Agents are still on duty, but this morning, they're waving travelers straight through -- no ID checks, no bags.
At this point, another person who looks like a TSA agent appears in the frame:
TSA AGENT 2: Keep moving, ma'am.
PASSENGER 2: No screening?
TSA AGENT 2: Not today. Government shutdown. Just head to your gate.
PASSENGER 2: Wow. Okay, thanks.
TSA AGENT 2: You're welcome. Don't know what to tell you, folks. We're doing what we can...
The video, however, was not authentic. It displayed the Sora logo (archived here) that was partially cut out from the frame:
(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post at instagram.com/p/DQX-pRlDG7G)
A reverse image search confirmed that the earliest example of the identical opening scene (archived here) found by Lead Stories that was published on TikTok on October 14, 2025, contained a full-size watermark pointing to the same AI video-generating tool:
(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of post at tiktok.com/@soraplayer1)
Hive Moderation, which is an online AI detection tool, confirmed the nature of the footage, rating it overwhelmingly likely to be AI-generated:
(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of hivemoderation.com)
Furthermore, the name of that account on TikTok -- soraplayer1 - additionally implied that its content was AI generated, since Sora is a text-to-video AI video app.
On the same day (October 14, 2025), the same user posted another Sora clip (archived here) in which a 'TSA agent" repeated one of the lines from the video in question: "Not today. Government shutdown. Just head to your gate." That, however, was a totally different person:
(Image sources: Lead Stories screenshot of post at of post at at tiktok.com/@soraplayer1; Lead Stories screenshot of post at at instagram.com/p/DQX-pRlDG7G; composite image by Lead Stories)
The older man from the video reviewed in this article first appeared in a clip published by the soraplayer1 account in a separate post (archived here) three days later, on October 17, 2025:
(Image sources: Lead Stories screenshot of post at of post at at tiktok.com/@soraplayer1)
According to Hive Moderation, this segment of the video studied in this article was a product of generative AI as well:
(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of hivemoderation.com)
A closer look also showed that the "TSA agent 2" wore the wrong insignia.
The seal's description (archived here) on the TSA website describes what it should look like:
The TSA seal consists of a white, stylized American eagle centrally located inside rings of red and white, against a field of blue. The eagle's dynamically-feathered wings are outstretched in a pose signifying protection, vigilance, and commitment. The wings break through the red and white containment rings, indicating freedom of movement. There are nine stars and 11 rays emanating out from the top of the eagle, symbolizing the agency's 9/11 roots. The design also includes a graphic representation of land and sea, reflecting the modes of transportation TSA is charged with protecting. The eagle's head is turned to the right emulating the DHS eagle.
This is the image of the current seal, as it appears on the agency's pages:
(Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of image at tsa.gov)
Photos from TSA's internal events on the Department of Homeland Security website, under which the TSA functions, show that the seal looked the same in 2024 (archived here).
Yet, the video in question shows a different seal. While blurry, it's apparent that it doesn't show a white eagle "against a field of blue":
As for the requirement to remove shoes mentioned in the clip from Instagram, that policy was eliminated in July 2025 (archived here), and, therefore, it couldn't have been canceled again due to a shutdown or any other circumstances.
