The head of the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), David Pekoske, has been removed from office by the recently inaugurated Donald Trump.
Pekoske was first confirmed by the US Senate as TSA’s seventh administrator in August 2017 during President Trump’s first term in office and was reconfirmed for a second term in September 2022 by President Biden.
An advocate for people and technology
Pekoske led a workforce of over 60,000 employees and was responsible for security operations at nearly 440 airports throughout the USA. Under Pekoske’s leadership, TSA has embraced technology to increase security for passengers, airports and operations. This has included the introduction of facial verification, computed tomography (CT) scanners at checkpoints, next-generation advanced imaging technology (AIT), the mobile driver’s license program and the opening of the Innovation Checkpoint at McCarran International Airport.
Pekoske has also steered TSA though the Covid-19 pandemic, implemented new cybersecurity requirements, published an innovation doctrine, ensured pay equity for the TSA workforce and published the agency’s open architecture roadmap.
Additional roles
During his tenure as TSA administrator, Pekoske also served at the Department of Homeland Security as acting secretary from January 20 to February 2, 2021, and as the senior official performing the duties of deputy secretary from April to November 2019, and again from February to June 2021.
Before joining TSA, Pekoske was an executive in the government services industry, where he led teams that provided counterterrorism, security and intelligence support services to government agencies. Pekoske also served in the US Coast Guard and has twice been awarded the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal.
No replacement has yet been appointed.
In April 2024, then-Administrator Pekoske outlined TSA’s budget request before Congress. Read more here.