'It's on': Nancy Mace declares war on unpaid TSA agents as airport tirade fallout grows

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is escalating her foul-mouthed tirade unleashed at Charleston International Airport Thursday as security did not meet her as she traveled. On Monday, she accused the airport of lying about the ordeal.

Taking to X, Mace wrote, "Wait until we release audio between my staff and the Charleston airport. It's on. HOLD THE LINE."

Moments later, she posted a screen capture of a text message exchange with a sergeant at CHS.

The text shows the staffer gave the sergeant details, saying "Rep. Mace will arrive~0630 to CHS [Redacted] will drop curbside in silver BMW."

The sergeant said she would be put on the schedule. At 6:30 a.m., when Mace was scheduled to arrive, another text message said "we will be there in 10-15 min." The sergeant replied at 6:34 a.m. "Awesmoe. Officers are waiting."

"The media can lie, but the receipts can’t. We notified airport security with the exact time, location, and vehicle details. They never showed," Mace said of the screen captures.

"Waiting for the Charleston Airport to correct their KNOWINGLY FALSE 'incident' reports is like watching PAINT DRY..." Mace added.

Reports of the ordeal on Thursday described the Republican candidate as "very irate," Mace was also making "derogatory comments" toward federal airport security personnel as they escorted her through the airport, WCBD reported. While she is currently a member of Congress, Mace is also running for governor.

According to the incident report obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request made by WIRED, Charleston Aviation Authority police were assigned to escort Mace "from the outdoor ticketing area to her flight shortly before 7 a.m."

But Mace reportedly arrived in a different vehicle and at a slightly later time than anticipated, and no security was there when she exited the vehicle at 6:52 a.m.

"The officers were then notified that Mace had already arrived at the security checkpoint and was waiting by the crewmember entrance. Congressional members generally go through the standard TSA screening process, but may receive special accommodations to speed up the process," WCBD said.

Once officers found Mace, she was "loudly cursing" at them.

Mace was escorted to her flight and boarded at 7:10 a.m.

An officer who spoke with a TSA supervisor said he was “very upset with how she acted at the checkpoint” and would submit a report to his superior regarding her “unacceptable behavior.”

Mace has been ranting about the matter since Friday, when she uploaded surveillance footage. It showed no people around when she arrived at the airport, and no lines at security.

The airport released a statement last week, saying that Mace acted inappropriately.

“Disrespecting the men and women who keep our airports safe is unacceptable. Law enforcement and TSA agents show up every day to protect the public, and right now, they’re not even getting paid. They deserve respect and appreciation. Not profanity. Not threats. Not tantrums. This is not an isolated incident. It has become a pattern of reckless and disrespectful behavior by Nancy Mace, and South Carolinians deserve better from someone who claims to represent them.”

TSA agents have worked without pay since the start of the government shutdown at the beginning of last month.