What is 'Quiet Skies'? Tulsi Gabbard says she's under TSA surveillance for bashing federal administration

WASHINGTON, DC: Former Democratic Congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard confirmed that she continues to be under surveillance by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) under their controversial 'Quiet Skies' program on Sunday, August 25.

A vocal supporter of GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, Gabbard shared evidence of her being monitored in an Instagram story, where she posted a picture of her flight ticket with "SSSS" printed at the top. She encircled the part, marking it as a known indicator of the "Quiet Skies" watchlist, and used the hashtags "#AndStill #QuietSkies".

What is 'Quiet Skies'?

According to the Boston Globe, "Quiet Skies" is a program under the TSA, where federal air marshals follow travelers who "are not under investigation by any agency and are not in the Terrorist Screening Data Base" and collect extensive information about their movement and behavior.

The goal of the program is to help commercial aircraft avoid threats “posed by unknown or partially known terrorists,” states an internal bulletin of the TSA. It provides the agency broad discretion over which air travelers to focus on and how closely they are tracked.

Whistleblowers told the Air Marshal National Council that Gabbard's name was featured on the program and that she was under surveillance at airports and on planes, the Daily Mail reported earlier this month. As a result, she is reportedly stalked by at least five agents on every flight she takes.

Gabbard has spoken out against being put on the watchlist, once telling Fox News host Laura Ingraham, "This is a clear act of political retaliation. There is no other way to put it... The very next day after my conversation with you on air warning the American people about how dangerous a Kamala Harris presidency would be, I was placed on this domestic terror watchlist."

Internet rallies in defense of Tulsi Gabbard

Social media users took to X (formerly Twitter) to support Tulsi Gabbard and slammed the federal administration for keeping tabs on her.

"Profound abuse of the government against their own citizens," wrote one social media user.

"The Biden Administration just said the quiet part out loud. They REALLY do hate us," stated another.

"Is Tulsi a real threat or just an inconvenience to them?" asked one person.

"Completely unacceptable. Tulsi Gabbard does not belong on Quiet Skies list, and whatever it is that we need to do to make sure no American is falsely included ....that needs to get done ASAP," shared another.

"Baseless, unwarranted and criminal surveillance by the Biden/Harris regime," expressed one individual.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.