DeSantis signs bill to rename Palm Beach airport after Trump
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday signed legislation renaming Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) to “Donald J. Trump International Airport.”
The bill, which Republicans in the Florida House and Senate passed last month via votes of 81-30 and 25-11, respectively, gives the state the authority to name “major commercial service airports.” It also renames PBI, located roughly four miles from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, in honor of the president.
The name change for PBI would take effect on July 1 if it is greenlit by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Hill has reached out to the FAA for comment.
The Republican Party of Florida touted the impending name change, writing Monday on the social platform X, “Florida is making it official! Welcome to the new President Donald J. Trump International Airport — right in the heart of Palm Beach!”
“Florida is honored to be home to this landmark tribute to President @realDonaldTrump,” the Florida GOP added, sharing a photo of a sign in front of the airport that reads, “Welcome to the new President Donald J. Trump International Airport.”
The name change for PBI would take effect on July 1 if it is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to the text of the legislation. But the FAA told The Hill Monday that changing the name of an airport is a local issue and the FAA “does not approve airport name changes.”
“However, the FAA must complete some administrative tasks to include updating navigational charts and databases,” the administration added.
The Hill has also reached out to the public information officer for Palm Beach County Department of Airports for clarification on whether the airport’s three-letter code will be changed from PBI to “DJT.”
Since the president returned to office, he and his administration have added his name to a slew of buildings and programs, including the Kennedy Center, the U.S. Institute of Peace, the TrumpRx prescription drug platform and “Trump Accounts,” investment accounts that parents can open for their children starting this tax season.
In January, Palm Beach County also officially designated four miles of Southern Boulevard running from PBI to Mar-a-Lago as “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.” The next month, the Trump Organization — which is run by the president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, filed to trademark the use of the elder Trump’s name on airports.
