Florida lawmakers on Tuesday moved closer to placing President Donald Trump’s name on the Palm Beach International Airport despite turbulence over state funding, trademarking rights and his personal conduct.
The Republican-controlled House voted 81-30 in support of the name change to President Donald J. Trump International Airport (HB 919) as a similar measure moved to the Senate floor after clearing the Rules Committee (SB 706).
“This is the President’s hometown, he lives five miles away from the airport,” said bill co-sponsor Rep. Meg Weinberger, R-Palm Beach Gardens.
St. Augustine Republican Kim Kendall, a former air traffic controller who also co-sponsored the bill, said Trump deserves the recognition for airport infrastructure investments his administration has made in the past year to modernize facilities.
And Stuart Republican Rep. John Snyder said, “With the renaming of this bill, after we all vote yes, it will officially become a great airport.”
The people who oppose the Palm Beach airport name change note issues with Trump’s past conduct
Democrats, though, said the renaming should wait until Trump is out of office as they raised issues with his past conduct, which includes two House impeachments and 34 felony convictions in New York for falsifying business records.
“The legacy that I’ve seen so far has left me wanting,” said Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami.
House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, pointed to DTTM Operations LLC, a Delaware-based entity managed by The Trump Organization, last week filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “intent to use” the names “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” “Donald J. Trump International Airport,” and “DJT.”
“It feels like the grift is happening,” Driskell said.
The trademarks could require DTTM Operations to be included in the financing of licensing deals.
Weinberger asserted there was no collaboration between lawmakers and Trump’s company on the name change and the family has agreed “to completely waive the trademark for the Trump name to Palm Beach International.”
Democrats unsuccessfully sought several changes to the bill, including a proposal to include Trump’s name with former President John F. Kennedy on the airport, similar to Trump putting his own name on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled Senate Rules Committee voted a short time earlier along party lines to support the name change.
The Senate proposal comes as the chamber’s budget bill released Friday included $2.75 million to cover the cost of changing signs and other items across the West Palm Beach complex that annually handles around 8.6 million passengers.
Another concern Democrats have is that Pres. Trump will financially benefit due to the name change
Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, said the trademarking raises “ethical concerns,” setting a precedent in which the sitting president could financially benefit off his name on a public facility.
“This is about generating revenue from a public entity or a private company, a company with Donald Trump’s interest at the helm, and not the people of the state of Florida,” said Jones.
Jones emotionally argued against the name change for an individual who he said considers people who are Black like himself as “monkeys” after posting a video online that included a clip depicting former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle as apes.
“I don’t want to hear anybody say, ‘well, he took it down.’ You cannot take down racism,” Jones said.
Jones had previously voted for the bill in two prior committee hearings, which were held before Trump’s social media post portraying the Obamas as monkeys.
Melbourne Republican Sen. Debbie Mayfield, who sponsored the Senate bill, last Thursday submitted the funding request that asked for $5.5 million.
Mayfield, who described the video with the Obamas as “unfortunate,” added that “you cannot disagree with the fact that he has done some remarkable things for our country. He has put our country back as America first.”
Included in Mayfield’s funding request was $250,000 for rebranding consultants involving overhead announcements, emergency messaging and telephone system updates. Another $250,000 is sought to rebrand equipment, vehicles, marketing materials and uniforms.
“The airport will need resources to complete the renaming,” Mayfield’s funding proposal states. “In addition to signage, branding elements, and website updates, the airport will also make technology updates require, including overhead and emergency messaging systems and passenger processing systems, to ensure full and consistent implementation of the new airport name.”
The legislative proposal would give authority to the state to name the seven major commercial service airports in Florida, with the only change proposed being Palm Beach International Airport becoming Donald J. Trump International Airport.
The name change is subject to approval by the Federal Aviation Administration and the execution of an agreement between Palm Beach County and the trademark holder authorizing the commercial use of the name Donald J. Trump International Airport.
The bill also preempts to the Legislature the naming of airports to Orlando International Airport, Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport in Lee County and Jacksonville International Airport.
