David P. Cummins was sworn in as the eighth administrator of the Transportation Security Administration on Aug. 7.
Cummins was confirmed by the Senate prior to his swearing-in, according to TSA. The administrator position is a Senate-confirmed role that provides agency-wide leadership for transportation security operations.
TSA screens approximately 2.5 million passengers per day across more than 440 airports nationwide. The agency employs roughly 60,000 workers, the majority of whom are Transportation Security Officers staffing airport screening checkpoints.
No policy priorities or personnel changes were announced at the time of Cummins’ swearing-in. The new administrator assumes leadership of an agency that has faced persistent challenges including workforce retention, checkpoint wait times and modernization of screening technology.
For air travelers, TSA leadership affects the day-to-day screening experience as well as longer-term security investments. The agency has been expanding deployment of computed tomography scanners and credential authentication technology at checkpoints nationwide.
TSA was created in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and was initially housed in the Department of Transportation before being transferred to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. The agency has had seven previous administrators since its founding.
The installation of confirmed, permanent leadership resolves uncertainty at the top of the agency during one of the busiest periods for air travel in U.S. history. TSA screened a record number of passengers in the summer of 2025.