Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, has officially changed its name to President Donald J. Trump International Airport, effective July 9. This makes it the first airport to bear the name of a sitting president.
Background
The renaming was mandated by a state law signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on March 30. Under the agreement, Palm Beach County is allowed to use the president’s name for rebranding, signage, merchandise, and other purposes.
The Trump Organization filed to trademark the name, stating that neither President Donald Trump nor his family would receive royalties, licensing fees, or financial compensation from the name change. Instead, the trademark would protect the name for the county and state from lawsuits.
The airport is mulling improvements to become a world-class facility following its name change to President Donald J. Trump International Airport, according to Palm Beach County Administrator Joe Abruzzo.
Reactions and Costs
Passengers at the airport have expressed mixed reactions to the name change, with some in favor and others neutral. The total cost of renaming the airport is estimated to be $5.5 million, which will be covered by airport revenue and a state budget allocation of $2.75 million.
The airport code will remain PBI until August 18, when it will change to DJT, the initials of the president. The full transition is expected to take several weeks, with updates to signs, branding, and uniforms happening in phases.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
