Tyler Perry Donates $250K in Gift Cards to Unpaid TSA Workers

The media mogul's gift cards helped TSA staff during the government shutdown.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 9:03am

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Atlanta-based media mogul Tyler Perry donated $250,000 worth of gift cards to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers who had gone weeks without pay due to the partial government shutdown. Perry's team worked closely with the TSA to ensure the donations were handled properly, providing much-needed assistance to federal employees affected by the budget impasse.

Why it matters

The government shutdown left many federal workers, including TSA agents responsible for airport security, without paychecks for an extended period. Perry's generous donation helped ease the financial burden on these essential public servants during a difficult time.

The details

On Monday, Perry's team announced that he had donated $250,000 in gift cards to TSA workers. The TSA workers had been without pay since February 14th, until President Trump signed an executive order on Friday to ensure they received their back pay, which started being distributed on Monday.

  • The government shutdown began on February 14, 2026.
  • President Trump signed an executive order to pay TSA workers on March 29, 2026.
  • TSA workers started receiving their back pay on March 31, 2026.

The players

Tyler Perry

An Atlanta-based media mogul who donated $250,000 in gift cards to unpaid TSA workers during the government shutdown.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

The federal agency responsible for airport security that was affected by the government shutdown, leaving its workers without pay for weeks.

President Donald Trump

The President who signed an executive order to ensure TSA workers received their back pay.

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What they’re saying

“We worked closely with TSA to ensure everything was done correctly in terms of donations.”

— Tyler Perry's team

What’s next

With the government shutdown resolved and TSA workers receiving their back pay, the focus will now shift to ensuring federal agencies are properly funded to avoid such disruptions in the future.

The takeaway

Tyler Perry's generous donation of $250,000 in gift cards provided much-needed assistance to TSA workers affected by the government shutdown, highlighting the importance of community support for federal employees during times of political and financial uncertainty.