Trump hurls flustered accusations at Dems as he threatens drastic airport escalation

President Donald Trump again threatened to deploy the National Guard to airports to assist overburdened security agents.

The 79-year-old president has already ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to at least 14 airports this week as the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security has gutted the Transportation Security Administration's workforce, and Trump has proposed sending troops to help alleviate tremendous waits for airline passengers.

"Blame the Democrats for the Airport’s mess," Trump posted Tuesday morning on Truth Social. "They want our Country to do badly. They want our Country to fail. They broke the already signed Bill because they want to take care of Criminals who enter our Country illegally, rather than American citizens. Thank you to our great ICE Patriots for helping. It makes a big difference. I may call up the National Guard for more help. President DJT."

ICE agents have been photographed standing around at airports across the country holding rifles and wearing body armor, although Trump has forbidden them from wearing masks.

But multiple observers have said they do not appear to be assisting with any specialized security tasks to help agents or travelers.

It's not clear what National Guard troops would do to assist TSA workers stretched thin by colleagues calling out sick or quitting altogether rather than work without pay during the government's partial shutdown.

Trump himself said that he was unlikely to be "happy" with any deal DHS funding bill that Republicans could reach with Democrats, who have insisted that the department would remain unfunded unless major restrictions were imposed on ICE activity around the country as part of the president's mass deportation agenda.