NEWARK, N.J. — Sam Saadeh was instructed to change his shirt or leave a United Airlines flight on June 4, 2026, after a supervisor deemed the message on his clothing offensive during boarding at Newark Liberty International Airport. The incident occurred as Saadeh prepared to fly from Atlanta to Newark, a route operated by United Airlines, a major U.S. carrier headquartered in Chicago.

Saadeh, of Linden, N.J., wore a t-shirt that said, "Bombing kids is not self defense." According to Saadeh, a United Airlines supervisor approached him shortly after he boarded and said, "Change your shirt or you can't get on this flight." The supervisor also told him that a flight attendant had found his shirt offensive. "I was very confused when a supervisor pulled me off the plane just after boarding," Saadeh said.

Saadeh ultimately changed his shirt and boarded the flight. "This customer flew as scheduled after changing his shirt," a United Airlines spokesperson said. The airline’s rules state it has the right to deny transport to passengers who are "not properly clothed, or whose clothing is lewd, obscene or offensive."

In explaining his perspective, Saadeh said, "At the end of the day, this shirt, to me, is very clear that I think bombing kids is wrong ... regardless if you're Palestinian or if you're from Mobile, Alabama." Following the incident, Saadeh filed an official complaint with the United States Department of Transportation. He also said he is consulting with lawyers.