It wasn’t too long ago that Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis were locked in hot competition as they competed for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Using one of his signature nicknames, Trump referred to the governor as “DeSanctimonius,” while DeSantis claimed that his rival was “running to settle scores” and stated, “I would have fired [Dr. Anthony] Fauci.”
However, after Trump secured the primary victory, tensions eased, and DeSantis ultimately endorsed Trump for president, making several joint appearances with him.
Still, it might have been hard to imagine two years back that you would witness the governor of the Sunshine State signing a law to honor Trump by renaming an airport after him. Yet that’s exactly what he did on Monday when he signed legislation changing the name of “Palm Beach International Airport” to “Donald J. Trump Palm Beach International Airport.”
? JUST IN — IT’S OFFICIAL: Palm Beach International Airport is now Donald J. Trump International Airport, following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature on HB919
The name change goes into effect on July 1st.
Congrats, 47. pic.twitter.com/m5uAhwFvmj
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 30, 2026
The FAA still has to approve of the change, and let’s be real, it will approve the change, meaning the official airport name changes July 1. The hub is currently known to travelers as “PBI,” but it will be referred to as DJT once the change goes into effect.
But of course, Trump’s name is attached to this, so it didn’t take long for the Democrat left to start frothing at their mouths again:
“It’s misguided and unfair that the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature ignored the voices of Palm Beach County by pushing forward a bill to rename Palm Beach International Airport without giving County residents a real opportunity for input,” said Rep. Lois Frankel, a Democrat who represents West Palm Beach.
The liberals are already outraged by the inclusion of Trump’s name at the Kennedy Center, along with the highways and roads across several states that bear his name. This will surely propel them into a state of extreme fury. Nonetheless, as improbable as it may seem, I feel a small measure of sympathy for them.
In California, for instance, part of State Route 134 — the Ventura Freeway — was designated as the “President Barack H. Obama Highway” in 2017, and every time my friends out there drive it, they feel a sense of anger.
Introducing the Barack H. Obama Freeway: California Senate & Assembly approves naming part of LA freeway after Obama https://t.co/cXtu8mehzT pic.twitter.com/D4We1iwBIg
— ABC News (@ABC) September 6, 2017
Democrats quickly claimed that the president might profit from the Palm Beach facility, given that he has trademarked his name, but his representatives were quick to deny the allegations:
A spokesperson for the Trump Organization said in February that Trump and his family would not receive royalties or licensing fees from the renaming of the Palm Beach airport, and the House bill’s text specifies that the branding would come at no cost.
“To be clear, the President and his family will not receive any royalty, licensing fee, or financial consideration whatsoever from the proposed airport renaming,” said Kimberly Benza, Trump Organization director of executive operations.
I’m looking forward to traveling to Palm Beach with a liberal someday and watching them break out in a cold sweat as we move through the terminal.
