The Florida Legislature has completed passage of legislation that would rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald Trump, adding the nation’s 45th and 47th president to a growing list of infrastructure bearing his name across the country.
Senate Bill 706 passed both chambers of the state legislature Friday, with the measure now awaiting the signature of Governor Ron DeSantis and subsequent approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. The legislation would officially designate the facility as President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
State Senator Joe Gruters of Lakeland, who currently serves as Chairman of the Republican National Committee, sponsored the Senate version alongside state Senator Debbie Mayfield of Brevard County. The companion House Bill 919 was carried by state Representative Meg Weinberger of Palm Beach Gardens, whose district encompasses the airport in question.
The legislative text amends existing Florida statutes that codify the names of several major airports throughout the state, including Miami International Airport and Jacksonville International Airport. The new language specifies that the airport in West Palm Beach, currently known as Palm Beach International Airport, shall be renamed in honor of President Trump.
The airport sits in close proximity to Mar-a-Lago, the president’s private club and frequent residence in Palm Beach County. The legislation includes provisions for county funding to support the rebranding effort.
A spokeswoman for Governor DeSantis indicated that the governor has not yet received the bill for review but will examine it in its final form once delivered to his office. The governor’s approval represents one of two remaining hurdles for the renaming to take effect, with Federal Aviation Administration authorization also required.
This development continues a recent trend of affixing President Trump’s name to various pieces of American infrastructure. In recent months, the Kennedy Center in Washington has been redesignated as the Trump-Kennedy Center. Highway systems in both Florida and Oklahoma now bear Trump’s name as well.
On Capitol Hill, Representative Addison McDowell of North Carolina has introduced separate legislation that would remove former Secretary of State John Foster Dulles’ name from the major airport serving the Washington area in Virginia. That proposal aims to have the nation’s capital region served by airports named for Presidents Trump and Reagan.
Democratic legislators in Florida have raised concerns about the financial implications of the renaming effort, with estimates suggesting the rebranding could cost approximately five million dollars. Opposition members have also questioned the timing of such expenditures and potential commercial considerations.
The measure now rests with Governor DeSantis, whose decision will determine whether the Sunshine State proceeds with honoring its most prominent current resident through this permanent designation.
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