Florida legislature approves renaming Palm Beach airport after President Trump

Friday 20 February 2026 - 15:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Florida legislature approves renaming Palm Beach airport after President Trump

Florida's Republican-controlled legislature passed a bill on Thursday to rename Palm Beach International Airport as "President Donald J. Trump International Airport," sending the measure to Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it into law. The vote marks the latest in a series of efforts by the president and his allies to attach his name to public institutions across the country.

The state Senate approved the legislation by a margin of 25 to 11, with all opposing votes cast by Democratic members. The Florida House of Representatives had already cleared the bill earlier in the week with an 81-30 vote. The proposed name change is set to take effect at the start of July, though it still requires approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and a rights agreement governing the commercial use of the Trump name.

The legislation, filed as Senate Bill 706 and House Bill 919, does more than simply rebrand one airport. It transfers the authority to name Florida's seven major commercial service airports from local officials to the state legislature. Palm Beach International is the only facility slated for an immediate change under the current proposal, but the law would also extend state naming power over Orlando International, Miami International, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, Tampa International, Southwest Florida International in Lee County, and Jacksonville International.

Supporters of the measure have pointed to Trump's deep ties to Palm Beach County, where he relocated in 2019 and established his primary residence at the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach. Lobbyist Nick Iarossi, representing Palm Beach County interests, told a Senate committee that Trump's investments in local golf courses, resorts, and airport infrastructure justified the honor. State Republicans have also cited the president's policy stances on immigration and his support for Israel as reasons the recognition is warranted.

Democrats raised objections centered on potential financial conflicts of interest. DTTM Operations LLC, a Delaware-based entity managed by the Trump Organization, filed trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for "President Donald J. Trump International Airport," "Donald J. Trump International Airport," and "DJT". Democratic State Senator Shevrin Jones introduced an amendment to block the Trump Organization from profiting through trademark licensing, but the measure failed. The Trump Organization has maintained that neither the president nor his family will receive royalties, licensing fees, or any financial consideration from the airport's rebranding.

The estimated cost of the renaming stands at approximately $2.75 million, covering new signage, marketing materials, and other rebranding expenses. The Palm Beach airport sits just minutes from Mar-a-Lago and already lies along a roadway that Florida lawmakers renamed in Trump's honor last year. The state also allocated a site in downtown Miami for Trump's future presidential library in 2025.

The airport renaming fits into a broader pattern of institutional rebranding championed by the president. Trump has previously attached his name to the Kennedy Center, the United States Institute of Peace, a series of Navy battleships, children's savings accounts, and a prescription drug discount platform called "TrumpRx". He has also floated proposals to rename Washington Dulles International Airport and New York's Penn Station after himself.