TSA breaks silence on rumors that another hated rule may change | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

On July 8, 2025, Americans collectively celebrated a major, and long overdue, change to air travel. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that after more than two decades, the much-hated TSA policy of requiring passengers to take their shoes off was, at long last, coming to an end.

“Ending the ‘Shoes-Off’ policy is the latest effort DHS is implementing to modernize and enhance traveler experience across our nation’s airports,” Secretary Noem said in a released statement. “We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience.”

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The TSA had officially required the removal of shoes since 2006, although the agency had been requesting voluntary compliance with shoe removal policies since 2001 when Richard Reid, aka the “shoe bomber,” tried to board a plane with explosives in his shoes that he planned to detonate.

Fortunately, as Noem explained, technology has advanced to the point where TSA can now detect explosives even without making people remove their shoes. “Thanks to our cutting-edge technological advancements and multi-layered security approach, we are confident we can implement this change while maintaining the highest security standards,” Noem said.

News that shoes could stay on feet was greeted with universal joy, as there’s virtually no one who enjoys walking through security barefoot or in socks. It also led to questions about whether TSA might be altering another rule that causes major headaches.

The TSA won’t make you take your shoes off any more, but many other rules remain.

Image source&colon; Getty Images

Will shoe removal be just the start of TSA’s modernization efforts?

After the shoe policy change was announced, speculation among travelers and experts began almost immediately on whether the TSA would continue to eliminate some of the other rules that tend to cause the most annoyance, including, most notably, the rule limiting the size of liquids.

There is a strong incentive right now for the TSA to try to remove as many pain points as possible, since the agency has come under attack recently, with Republican senators debuting a measure earlier this year to abolish the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced the Abolish TSA Act of 2025 to end the TSA for good and give the job of plane security to the air companies themselves.

Neither senator had favorable things to say about the agency, with Senator Lee stating that the TSA has “not only intruded into the privacy and personal space of most Americans, it has also repeatedly failed tests to find weapons and explosives,” and Tuberville calling it “an inefficient, bureaucratic mess that infringes on Americans’ freedoms.”

The TSA doesn’t have many fans to defend the agency against this strong criticism, in part because so many travelers see requirements like the shoe and liquid rules as silly and pointless.

So, it was natural to assume that phasing out the size limits for liquids in carry-on luggage might be a logical next step in reducing some of the anti-TSA sentiment.

TSA speaks out on rumors the liquid rule may be next

The rumors of a possible change to the liquid rule lasted only days before the TSA spoke out and shared its position on the much-hated liquid limitation.

In a Facebook post, the TSA said, “You might get to keep your shoes on at the checkpoint these days… But that XL bottle of lotion? Still not making it through this summer. The 3.4 oz liquids rule isn’t just to keep your bags light; it’s based on real security concerns.”

So what are those concerns? As the rest of the post explained, “Liquid explosives can be disguised as everyday products, and limiting the quantity still helps keep everyone safe in the skies. That includes liquids, gels, and aerosols, and yes, the fancy lotion, spicy salsa jar, or family-sized sunscreen.”

Of course, the comments under the post show that many are not convinced, with the top comment stating, “I can take as many 3.4 ounce bottles (10 or more) that I can fit in a bag, but I cannot take a 5 oz. tube of toothpaste. ‘iT’s BasEd oN ReAL sEcuRiTy CoNCeRns….’”

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Still, despite the skepticism, the liquid rule will still stand for the foreseeable future. At least you can keep your shoes on as you rifle through your carry-on to pull out your little bag of approved liquids.