Florida lawmakers approve renaming Palm Beach International Airport after Trump; DeSantis expected to sign
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s Republican-led legislature has approved a bill to rename Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport, state records show, setting the stage for one of the country’s most prominent travel hubs to bear the sitting president’s name. Gov. Ron DeSantis, once a political rival of Trump, is expected to sign the measure into law.
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Palm Beach International sits just minutes from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in a community known for its sandy beaches and lavish estates. The airport serves as a key gateway to South Florida and the Treasure Coast, handling millions of passengers annually and anchoring regional tourism and business travel. Renaming the facility would place Trump’s branding within sight of his winter home and social club.
The move would be the latest institution to adopt the Trump name as the president seeks to imprint his legacy on public life through what supporters describe as a bold, image-driven campaign. In December, the president’s handpicked board overseeing the Kennedy Center in Washington — the arts complex and memorial to President John F. Kennedy — voted to rename itself the Trump-Kennedy Center.
Trump has also pushed to rename two emblematic transportation landmarks after himself: New York’s Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport. Those attempts were rebuffed, according to U.S. media reports, underscoring the political sensitivity and civic symbolism wrapped up in renaming major public spaces.
Separately, the Treasury Department has confirmed reports that drafts have been prepared for a commemorative $1 coin featuring Trump’s image, even as longstanding laws prohibit depicting a sitting or living president on U.S. currency. The acknowledgement of draft designs highlights how the administration has explored multiple avenues to extend the president’s presence across federal and civic institutions.
If signed by DeSantis, the airport renaming would codify Trump’s imprint on a high-profile piece of Florida infrastructure, likely prompting a cascade of changes across signage, branding and official references used by airlines, booking platforms and travel guides. The bill’s passage also reflects the political climate in Tallahassee, where Republican majorities have aligned with the president on cultural and symbolic priorities as well as policy.
For Palm Beach, the renaming would fuse the resort island’s identity even more closely with Trump’s political and personal brand. It would also extend the broader national debate over how and when to affix leaders’ names to public venues — debates that often balance civic tradition, local sentiment and the practical costs of renaming against a desire to mark a particular era.
The measure now awaits the governor’s signature to take effect.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
