Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace found herself at the center of controversy this week after berating airport police and TSA officers at Charleston International Airport during what she later described as a security “breakdown.”

A Huge Mix-Up In Charleston

According to an incident report obtained by NBC News, officers with the Charleston County Aviation Authority had been assigned to escort Mace to her flight Thursday morning. But due to a mix-up about which car she was arriving in, the officers missed her drop-off. When police finally located her, she was at the Known Crewmember entrance—a TSA checkpoint reserved for airline staff—trying to enter without clearance.

TSA Claims Mace Went On A ‘Tirade’

Multiple officers wrote that Mace was furious when confronted, cursing at them and calling the department “incompetent.” She allegedly shouted that the police would “never treat Senator Tim Scott this way” and that she was a “[expletive] U.S. representative.” The incident, which several officers described as a “tirade,” continued until Mace boarded her flight, according to the report. Mace, who is running for governor of South Carolina, pushed back hard on that characterization. In a post on X, she said the report contained “multiple inaccuracies,” insisting that all federally elected officials—including Senators Scott and Lindsey Graham—use the same security entrance she tried to access. “That’s the federal security protocol,” she wrote.

Mace’s Campaign Director Says The Situation Was Blown Out Of Proportion

Her campaign later downplayed the encounter, suggesting that Mace’s security concerns had been taken out of context. “Apparently, simply arriving at an airport now makes headlines if you’re leading the race for governor,” said Cameron Morabito, Mace’s campaign director of operations. He cited what he called “intensified threats” against Mace since the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Mace Says The TSA Agents Got What They Deserved

Speaking to reporters on Daniel Island Monday, Mace didn’t deny that she cursed out airport officers—if anything, she leaned into it. “Did I drop an *-bomb? I hope I did,” she said. “Did I call them incompetent? If I didn’t, they absolutely earned it.” Mace claimed that her outburst came after more than two dozen “security breaches” at Charleston International, saying her children had been separated from her at checkpoints and that staff travel had been mishandled.

She’s Calling For Disciplinary Action For The Agents Involved

Mace specifically called out Charleston Airport CEO Elliott Summey, accusing him of negligence. “Leadership stops at the top,” she said. “They have doxxed where I get dropped off, they have doxxed the vehicle I was in Thursday, and they have severely compromised my safety.” In a letter to TSA Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl, Mace demanded a review of protocols for members of Congress, tighter coordination between TSA, Capitol Police, and DHS, and disciplinary action for any employee who “compromised” her safety.