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The Palm Beach International Airport has officially been renamed "Donald J. Trump International Airport" following the approval of the HB 919 bill by the Florida legislature and its submission to Governor Ron DeSantis for his signature last Monday.
Eric Trump announced the change on his X account, with a message that left no room for doubt: Palm Beach International Airport is now officially the "Donald J. Trump International Airport." In the same post, he thanked Republican Representative Meg Weinberger, Governor DeSantis, Chief of Staff James Uthmeier, and "the overwhelming majority of the Florida House" for making the change possible.
The legislative process began in February 2026. The Florida House of Representatives approved HB 919 on February 18 with 81 votes in favor and 30 against, and the state Senate confirmed it two days later with 25 votes in favor and 11 against.
The main sponsor of the project was the representative Meg Weinberger from Palm Beach Gardens, who argued that Trump deserves recognition for residing just five miles from the airport and for his investments in infrastructure.
Senator Debbie Mayfield was also a key proponent of the initiative, citing Trump's management of immigration issues and his fight against fentanyl trafficking as reasons for the tribute.
The airport, which serves approximately 8.6 million passengers annually, is the closest gateway to Mar-a-Lago, Trump's presidential residence in Palm Beach, located five miles away.
The name change is not without controversy. Democrats like Senator LaVon Bracy Davis criticized the proposal for catering to "a large ego" and for the potential financial benefits it could bring to the Trump family, given that the Trump Organization filed trademarks such as "Donald J. Trump International Airport" just days before the legislative vote. The Trump family denies that they will receive royalties or direct financial benefits.
The federal congresswoman Lois Frankel also questioned the decision for being made without consulting Palm Beach County.
The estimated cost of the name change is over five million dollars, covering signage, technology systems, uniforms, and promotional materials.
This renaming is part of a broader trend of tributes to Trump in South Florida: in January 2026, DeSantis had already signed the decree to name President Donald J. Trump Boulevard for the section of Southern Boulevard that connects the airport to Mar-a-Lago.
Although Eric Trump announced the change as official, the new name still requires the formal signature of Governor DeSantis —who received the project last Monday— and the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration, with an expected effective date of July 1, 2026.
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