DeSantis Signs Bill to Rename Florida Airport After Trump

AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) quietly signed a bill on Monday to rename Palm Beach International Airport as the President Donald J. Trump International Airport.

On Feb. 13, 2026, President Donald Trump‘s family business filed a trademark application for the name of the airport, which lies in close proximity to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club.

In the trademark, the family business also sought to use the names and possible airport code, DJT, for merchandise, though the Trump organization has said Trump and his family will not receive royalties or licensing fees from this renaming.

According to The New York Times, though the legislation states that the change must still be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the FAA has said airport name changes are a local issue and that it “does not approve airport name changes,” which it described as a local issue.

Instead, the FAA’s statement to the New York Times suggests it will be responsible for completing “administrative tasks to include updating navigational charts and databases.”

If approved, the name change will be effective July 1, 2026.

The president’s son, Eric Trump, took to X to celebrate and thank DeSantis, declaring “Palm Beach International Airport is now officially…. ‘President Donald J. Trump International Airport!'”

Politico reported that the Florida Senate’s initial budget recommendation for the name change included $2.75 million for new signage, branding and website updates.

State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, a Tampa Democrat who is the House Minority Leader, slammed the move in a statement shared by Politico.

“Your money is being misused to celebrate the man who caused gas prices to rise to over four dollars a gallon, grocery costs to shoot up, and health care prices to spike,” she said. “Republicans are out of touch when it comes to the real issues impacting Floridians. The people of Florida did not ask for this. It’s clear Tallahassee Republicans care more about political stunts than they care about your wallet.”

The news of the airport name change coincides with Monday’s unveiling of renderings for Trump’s Presidential Library set to overlook the water in Miami.

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