An intense and at times vitriolic debate erupted on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives Tuesday over a bill (HB 919) that could result in a more than $5 million tab to rename Palm Beach County International Airport after President Donald J. Trump.
The measure ultimately passed easily in the GOP-controlled House, 81-30.
Trump actually lost Palm Beach County to Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. The Palm Beach County Commission has not had the chance to weigh in on the measure.
But Republicans argued that, as the first Floridian to serve as president, the honor is righteous.
“Forty years ago, Donald Trump came to Palm Beach County when it was a sleepy little beach town and he bought a defunct property that today serves as the winter White House as a symbol of the power of the United States, which has made Palm Beach one of the most desirable and important locations in the world,” said Stuart Republican Rep. John Snyder.
The proposal prompted fierce criticism from Democrats on the House floor.
“His legacy is incomplete,” began Democratic House Leader Fentrice Driskell.
“Now, if we’re talking about his legacy so far, I think that we have to talk about the two impeachments. I think that we have to talk about the convictions. I think that we have to talk about the unpaid bills. I think we have to talk about the way that he’s done contractors. I think we have to talk about the way he’s done women. I think we have to talk about the way he’ s done Black folks in this country and in New York before he was ever elected. I think we have to talk about the way he did President Barack Obama with all of the birther stuff.”
Rep. Angie Nixon of Jacksonville was one of three Democrats to refer during the debate to the president as an “adjudicated rapist.” (A civil jury in New York found Trump liable in 2023 for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Caroll in the mid-1990s).
“I think this is crazy that we are trying to name an airport after this man, okay?” said Miami-Dade Democratic Rep. Ashley Gantt, who was promptly reprimanded by the acting House Speaker, who told her to stick to the policy.
“I think naming this airport after this man is ill-founded and ill-advised,” Gantt responded.
Bills have been filed in both chambers providing for between $2.75 million (in the House) and $5.5 million in the Senate to pay for the name change.
The Palm Beach County’s department of airports confirmed to WPBF 25 news that the rename will cost around $5.5 million. That price includes design and production of replacement signs, equipment and uniform rebranding, consumables and promotional items, and various tech and system updates. The agency said that funding would come from airport revenue unless provided by the Legislature. Grant funding could also be requested for reimbursement for eligible costs.
Trademark application
Adding to Democrats’ ire was the recent report that the Trump family company had filed three applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that would reserve his name for use as the brand of an airport.
“There’s language in this bill that says, ‘Oh, no. He’s not going to get any money from the merchandising.’ Doesn’t say now that he has the intent to use, that he’s not going to charge you for the license fee,” said Boca Raton Democratic Rep. Kelly Skidmore. “This is a man who only thinks, he can think about how he can improve his financial situation as the president of the United States. If you think for one second, you think he’s doing it for free, you’re crazier than he is.”
Skidmore also noted that Trump previously sued Palm Beach County in Florida for $100 million and accused the county-run airport of deliberately sending air traffic over his mansion and private club.
During her closing, Palm Beach County Republican Rep. Meg Weinberger said she had received a statement from the Trump family saying that they were “deeply honored” by the move to rename the airport and will waive rights to the trademark.
The Senate version (SB 706) passed in its third and final committee earlier on Tuesday, and now will go to that chamber for a final vote before moving to Gov. DeSantis’ desk for consideration.
During debate on the bill in the Senate Rules Committee, Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, referred to the recent social media post sent out by Trump that depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes, saying that he couldn’t “in good faith and conscience” vote for the proposal given that recent incident.
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