Rep. Nancy Mace claims repeated security lapses at Charleston airport after alleged confrontation with officers

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is defending her behavior toward authorities before an early morning flight last week, claiming the alleged confrontation came after repeated security lapses at the Charleston International Airport.

Speaking to reporters outside her office on Monday, Mace accused the airport’s internal law enforcement agency, the Charleston Regional Aviation Authority, of failing to provide her an appropriate security detail on multiple occasions.

“My safety has been put at risk over 24 times at this airport,” she said, pointing to a recent flight in which she said security was not at the gate when she arrived. “This has happened over and over again.”

Mace’s criticism of the airport comes after a report released last Friday stated the congresswoman exhibited “irate” behavior that involved using profanity and making derogatory remarks toward officers, including calling them “incompetent,” before an Oct. 30 flight.

That report contained “multiple inaccuracies and false statements,” according to Mace, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor in 2026.

The report stated that two officers from the Charleston Regional Aviation Authority PD were assigned to escort Mace from the outdoor ticketing area to her flight shortly before 7 a.m. and that they were waiting for her on the curb when they received word that she would be running a few minutes late.

Surveillance footage released by the airport, which does not contain audio, shows Mace exiting a gray vehicle at 6:51 a.m. with no officers in sight.

The report noted that the congresswoman arrived in a different vehicle than anticipated, a detail Mace has refuted.

Text messages shared with News 2 show that Mace’s director of operations, Cameron Morabito, sent information to airport security personnel the day before, indicating that she would arrive in a Silver BMW around 6:30 a.m.

According to the report, officers were then notified that Mace had already arrived at the security checkpoint and was waiting by the crewmember entrance. Congressional members generally adhere to the standard TSA screening process, but may receive special accommodations for protective reasons.

Morabito told News 2 in an Oct. 31 statement that Mace’s security protocols had been tightened due to repeated threats against her.

“After the world watched Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the threats against her have only intensified,” Morabito said. “Our security procedures are based solely on legitimate safety concerns, and any attempt to politicize this reality is both dangerous and reckless.”

Surveillance video showed the congresswoman waiting for several minutes at the checkpoint before three officers arrived to escort her. Separate narrative accounts written by the officers stated that she continued to use profanity and complain about how she had been treated as they walked toward the gate.

The report states Mace boarded her aircraft around 7:10 a.m., and officers waited at the gate until the plane departed.

According to a supplemental report, the officers spoke with a TSA supervisor who indicated he was “very upset with how she acted at the checkpoint” and would be submitting a report to his superior regarding her “unacceptable behavior.”

Mace did not deny her actions or the language she used, characterizing her visible frustration as the result of a “pattern of neglect and hostility” directed toward her.

“If there is an incompetent government employee at the airport expecting an apology this morning, you are not going to get it,” she said.

“I absolutely, 100%, confronted the airport employees who put my safety at risk,” she later added. “Did I drop an ‘F’ bomb? I hope I did. Did I call them incompetent? If I didn’t, they absolutely earned it.”

The congresswoman on Monday called for an immediate review of the incident and for those responsible to face disciplinary action, including President and CEO Elliott Summey.

“I want accountability for those who have compromised my safety. They should not have a job at the airport,” she said. “If the airport leadership won’t protect me, they need to be replaced by individuals who will.”

In a Nov. 3 statement to News 2, Summey said the safety and security of passengers, elected officials, and others traveling through the airport are the “highest priority.”

“I take this responsibility with the utmost seriousness,” he continued. “The men and women of our police department demonstrate professionalism, vigilance, and dedication every day as they carry out their mission to serve and protect. Their commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety allows us to continue providing a world-class travel experience to our community and visitors from around the world.”

Summey added he is “deeply grateful for their service and the vital role they play in keeping Charleston International Airport safe, secure, and operational around the clock.”

“I want to be clear: I wholeheartedly support the men and women of the Charleston Regional Aviation Authority, TSA, Customs and Border Protection, and Joint Base Charleston for their hard work and dedication,” he said.

Details of the alleged incident quickly spread on social media, prompting reactions from two of her opponents in the GOP gubernatorial primary.

Attorney General Alan Wilson chided Mace’s alleged behavior as “dangerous, entitled, and beneath the dignity of public office.”

“At best she had an entitled temper tantrum, and at worst she showed a disturbing willingness to weaponize power against law enforcement when she does not get her way,” Wilson said in a Nov. 3 statement. “She must apologize immediately to the men and women who protect the public every day, stop attacking those who refuse to bow to her demands with profanity laced tirades.”

A campaign spokesperson for Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette said the reported incident shows Mace “only cares about one person: Nancy Mace.”

“While our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to protect us, Nancy Mace is busy throwing tantrums and cursing them out,” Matthew Goins said in a Nov. 1 statement. “That’s not leadership—it’s entitlement. South Carolina deserves better than a privileged politician who thinks the rules don’t apply to her.”