[Harlow:] Welcome back. So the world's largest pilots union is calling on President Trump to end the shutdown. They say it's affecting the safety of air travel in the
[U.s. Sciutto:] That leak comes as hundreds of TSA screeners call out sick at several major airports. One federal official calls it the blue flu, because of the blue TSA uniforms they wear. Joining us now from Reagan National Airport, CNN government regulation correspondent Rene Marsh. So, Rene, you were the first to break this story on Friday. I'm curious about the numbers here. How many folks are calling in sick and does the TSA have the ability to plug those holes in effect so everybody's getting screened who needs to be screened?
[Rene Marsh, Cnn Government Regulation Correspondent:] Right. So, Jim, we spoke with two senior TSA officials as well as three TSA union reps and they tell us that they're talking about when you look at major airports, at least four major airports, hundreds of TSA officers have called out sick since this government shutdown began. And they're concerned, they're telling me, is that this just means that air travel could be less secure because, they say, obviously they're doing less with more as these call-ins or call-outs begin to stack up. And that is the concern, that they will continue to stack up as this shutdown drags on. As we know, there is no indication of any end in sight. Now, we did speak to TSA. They told us in a statement that these call- ins started happening around the holiday and that they have increased. But what TSA is saying at this point is that the call the sick calls aren't that significant to the point where it's impacting safety, security or wait times at airports. But with all of the TSA officers I'm speaking to, they're saying just wait. This week they say will be critical because, as you know, Friday will be the first day that they miss their paychecks. And many of these officers are saying they're calling out for very practical reasons. They need cash. So they are trying to get to these cash-paying jobs outside of government while the government is shutdown. Take a listen to this TSA officer's personal situation.
[Brian Turner, Tsa Officer Working Without Pay:] I live about a half hour from work. And it's going to come to a point where you say, do I put gas in my car or do I feed my family? You feel hopeless. And you feel helpless. You know, I'm not in Washington. I don't have the influence that these people of power have. And we we rely on them. We elect them to these positions to get a job done.
[Marsh:] And as you mentioned, it's not just the officers but the largest pilots union also calling for this shutdown to end because of concerns over security. Let's see if lawmakers on Capitol Hill and the president will listen to these folks. Back to you guys.
[Sciutto:] And, listen, the state a fact, we know that terror groups are still targeting U.S. commercial aviation.
[Harlow:] True.
[Sciutto:] It's a real concern.
[Harlow:] It is.
[Sciutto:] Rene Marsh, thanks very much. It is not just federal workers being impacted by this shutdown.
[Harlow:] Right. Farmers who already have been taking a hit because of the trade war with China are now taking another hit because of the government shutdown. Our Vanessa Yurkevich joins us live this morning from Polo, Illinois. This is really, Vanessa, a one-two punch for these farmers.
[Vanessa Yurkevich, Cnn Politics Correspondent:] Definitely, Jim and Poppy. This shutdown is really not coming at a good time. After a really tough 2018 for farmers and ranchers, the shutdown is very much unwanted at this point. So let's talk about what that trade war means for the farmers here. We're on Brian Duncan's farm here in northwest Illinois. And his biggest buyer of soybeans is China. And they aren't buying any. And his biggest buyer of pork is Mexico. And they're not buying that much anymore. So when you add the shutdown to this, Brian really relies on government subsidies to help make up that revenue difference that he's not getting from Mexico and China. So he's waiting to file his application because he was waiting for his corn harvest to finish and his application is sitting on his desk in his office. So he's not able to get that money and he's not able to get that check. But let's just put it into perspective of where we are. We're in a very conservative area. A lot of Trump supporters and a lot of Trump voters. So I asked Brian whether or not this shutdown and these tariffs are playing at all into how he might be voting and how others might be voting, even come 2020. Take a listen to what he had to say.
[Brian Duncan, Vice President, Illinois Farm Bureau:] I do think the president is in danger of losing a significant part of his base if the economic woes continue out here. If there is no resolve to these trade disputes. My fear is that what we'll be watching in 2020 is, are we bleeding for territory we already had? We're shedding significant economic blood out here.
[Yurkevich:] We spoke to a couple of other farmers in the area at a local diner and we asked them whether or not they are still supporting the president amongst all of this chaos with the shutdown and the trade war and they said that they are. But when I asked them about 2020, Jim and Poppy, they said that they would have to wait and see. I think they're going to be looking at their bank accounts, they're going to be looking at how their businesses are doing, Jim and Poppy.
[Sciutto:] Yes.
[Yurkevich:] But as we know, 2020 is a couple of years away, so they'll have a little bit of time to think about it before they go ahead and cast their ballot.
[Harlow:] Yes.
[Sciutto:] Yes. It was quite a statement there, are we losing territory we already had.
[Harlow:] Right?
[Sciutto:] Yes.
[Harlow:] Yes, that's fascinating. Vanessa, great reporting, thank you so much. So, it could be an unprecedented move by President Trump to declare a national emergency and use military funds to pay for the wall. If he does it, does he have the law on his side?