Lawmakers Vote To Rename Palm Beach International Airport After Trump
Florida lawmakers passed a bill Thursday to rename Palm Beach International Airport in honor of President Donald Trump.
The bill, HB 919, was approved by the state Senate in a 25-11 vote after passing the House 81-30, according to CNN. The measure now awaits the signature of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.
Republican lawmakers defended the bill as a way to expand the president’s legacy, while Democrats opposed the name change and said Trump did not deserve the recognition, according to Politico. (RELATED: Supreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs)
Florida Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel called the bill “misguided and unfair,” saying Florida lawmakers have ignored Palm Beach County residents. She argued that signing should be delayed and that the measure to name the airport should include “meaningful input from local residents and the communities most directly affected.”
The bill’s co-sponsor, Republican Rep. Meg Weinberger, highlighted Trump’s ties to Palm Beach County.
“It’s the president’s hometown, he lives five miles from the airport,” Weinberger said, according to Fox 11.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA – MARCH 28: Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s private plane, known as Trump Force One, is parked on the tarmac at Palm Beach International Airport on March 28, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The rebranding, which could include changing the airport abbreviation from “PBI” to “DJT,” could cost more than $5.5 million, according to Politico.
Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones initially supported the name change, saying he also would have supported a Democratic president, CNN reported. However, he withdrew his support after allegations surfaced that trademark applications related to the name change were filed by the same group that handles licensing and trademarks for the Trump Organization.
Jones said “no president, Democrat or Republican, should be able to benefit” from an airport brand license, CNN reported.
A spokesperson for the Trump Organization said neither Trump nor his family would receive any royalties or licensing fees from the name change, according to the outlet. Spokeswoman Kimberly Benza said the Trump Organization was “prepared to grant this right to his hometown county at no cost.”
Palm Beach International Airport welcomed more than 8 million passengers from May 2023 to May 2024, according to a Palm Beach County news release.
Weinberger said Trump’s family would not only relinquish trademark rights, but was also “deeply honored” by the proposed name change, according to News From The States.
