Palm Beach International Airport in Florida has been officially renamed as Donald J. Trump Presidential International Airport. This change was announced Thursday morning, coinciding with the arrival of Trump’s Boeing 757 at the newly named facility.
The airport, which has been around for 89 years and is located about 50 miles from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, was renamed back in February after legislation was passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, who once competed against Trump.
Eric Trump, one of the former president’s sons, shared a video on social media showing air traffic control announcing the name change at 5:01 a.m., as their flight neared the airport.
An air traffic controller was heard saying, “Attention all aircraft, effective immediately, Palm Beach International Airport will become Donald J. Trump International Airport.” Eric’s brother, Donald Trump Jr., along with Congressman Byron Donald, attended the event.
Interestingly, President Trump himself had not yet arrived at the renamed airport. He was returning to the White House from NATO’s annual summit in Turkey just a few hours before his family landed in Florida.
Eric Trump expressed pride in the name change, stating on social media, “No one has done more for Florida and our country, and no one is more deserving of this great honor.” He also mentioned how meaningful it was for him to see “DJT” on his boarding pass, celebrating the achievement.
The renaming has sparked contrasting reactions—Trump’s supporters are pleased, while many Democrats are not amused. Rep. Lois Frankel, who represents the area, labeled the move as “misguided and unfair,” arguing that infrastructure naming decisions should wait until honorees are no longer in service.
This kind of name change isn’t entirely new. For instance, in 2012, the Little Rock, Arkansas, airport was renamed Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport while Clinton was still serving as secretary of state. Similarly, in 1998, Washington National Airport was renamed after Ronald Reagan, a decision supported by Clinton at the time.
It seems that the tendency to name airports after notable figures—like Lincoln, Kennedy, and Eisenhower—could continue, and some residents still cling to the old names, showing how sentiment can linger even after such announcements.
