The TSA is testing a major overhaul with its new "Gold+" program, handing operations over to private contractors episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 3, 2026 · 11 MIN

The TSA is testing a major overhaul with its new "Gold+" program, handing operations over to private contractors

from Newell Normand

TSA is testing a major overhaul at select US airports with its new "Gold+" program, handing over key security operations, equipment, and management to private contractors. But is this game-changing move a long-overdue step toward full privatization, or does it still leave too much power in the hands of federal bureaucrats? Competitive Enterprise Institute analyst Steve Swedberg, author of the new piece "TSA Gold+ is worth its weight as a major step toward airport security privatization," joins Newell to explain how the program works, whether it will actually cut down checkpoint wait times, and why he believes free-market competition is the ultimate key to better airport security.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 3, 2026

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The TSA is testing a major overhaul with its new "Gold+" program, handing operations over to private contractors

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