Cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have reportedly hindered the use of bomb sniffer dogs.
The bomb-sniffing units were affected by the cuts the same week that the White House celebrated K9 Veterans Day, Fox News reported.
Newsweek reached out to the TSA via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The Department of Government Efficiency is responsible for slashing operation costs and has dissected multiple federal agencies to shrink the government’s size. It has come under criticism for making unintentional cuts to important policy areas, like initiatives countering the spread of the Ebola virus.
DOGE head Elon Musk has admitted that the organization may get some things wrong. At a cabinet meeting in February, Musk said, “We will make mistakes. We won’t be perfect, but when we make mistakes we’ll fix it very quickly.
“For example, with USAID one of the things we accidentally canceled, very briefly, was Ebola prevention. I think we all want Ebola prevention. So we restored the Ebola prevention immediately, and there was no interruption.”
A detection dog waits to screen fans before a game at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, on January 28, 2021.
Getty Images
What To Know
Fox News reported that changes to the budget initiated by DOGE have affected key parts of the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program.
In screenshots of internal emails released by Fox‘s chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin, the program outlined how “all requests,” including vet visits and food supplies, had been suspended.
“As of the moment, ALL requests for everything to include (Vet visits, kenneling, dog food, etc…) have been put on hold until we receive further guidance,” one of the emails reads.
“I apologize for the confusion, but due to new guidance sent out last night, nothing is being approved at this time. Once I receive an update, I will be sure to share with all of you.”
The update comes on the same week that President Donald Trump celebrated K9 Veterans Day, which commemorates dogs in the military and other areas of dangerous work.
What People Are Saying
The White House, on X, formerly Twitter: “Happy K9 Veterans Day to all of our heroic working dogs, including Conan who fearlessly participated in the military operation that ended ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019.”
What Happens Next
It is not yet clear if the funding will be restored. DOGE continues to investigate every area of government for ways to reduce spending.
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