Palm Beach airport in US to be renamed Donald J. Trump International

The bill sailed through the Florida legislature, where Republicans have a super-majority. Democrats argued that the measure was an example of frivolous spending. Bloomberg

• Palm Beach airport to be renamed Trump International Airport
• Florida legislature approved the renaming bill, DeSantis to sign
• Rebranding to cost $5.5M for signs and uniforms

Did our AI summary help?

The Palm Beach airport will soon be renamed after Donald Trump, making it the latest institution to bear the name of the president.

Florida’s Republican-led legislature on Thursday approved a bill renaming the airport in Trump’s adopted hometown as President Donald J. Trump International Airport. Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to sign it into law.

“Fifty years from now, when we’re all not in this chamber and maybe not here on this earth, we’re going to look back and recognize what this president, this sitting president, did to save America,” Florida state Senator Danny Burgess said during the legislative debate.

The airport is one of several high-profile places in Palm Beach and beyond that now carry Trump’s imprint.

In Washington, DC, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center, while the president’s name was added to signage on the US Institute of Peace headquarters. Trump has rejected reports that the White House has pushed for renaming New York’s Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport after him.

The president’s presence is also apparent in Palm Beach. When he is in town, road closures and traffic snarl the area around his Mar-a-Lago estate. A stretch of roadway linking the airport to the private club has been ceremonially renamed President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.

The airport renaming requires Federal Aviation Administration approval, as well as an agreement with the rights holder of the “President Donald J. Trump International Airport” name. The Trump Organization, the family’s real estate development firm, recently filed a trademark application to legally control and monetize the airport name.

Florida state Senator Debbie Mayfield, the bill’s sponsor, submitted a funding request last week for $5.5 million to cover the airport’s rebranding, which could include swapping out signage, new uniforms for staff and brand development services.

The bill sailed through the Florida legislature, where Republicans have a super-majority. Democrats argued that the measure was an example of frivolous spending.

“This bill exists for one reason, to satisfy one large ego, and satisfying that ego isn’t free,” said Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman.