Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 919 on Monday, officially renaming Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport. The legislation passed both chambers of the Florida Legislature along party lines, with the House voting 81-30 and the Senate voting 25-11 in favor of the measure. The airport renaming honors Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago Club sits east of the West Palm Beach facility.
“It is an honor for me to present this bill to rename Palm Beach International Airport after the first Florida resident to be elected President of the United States,” said Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, the Senate bill sponsor, during the Feb. 19 floor session. Mayfield cited Trump’s immigration enforcement record, noting he deported more than 400,000 undocumented migrants and forced Canada and Mexico to restrain fentanyl trafficking into the country. Rep. Meg Weinberger, R-Palm Beach Gardens, sponsored the House version of the bill.
House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, criticized the measure as misplaced priorities by Republican lawmakers. “Instead of working across the aisle with us to advance those bills, Republican leaders decided to prioritize wasting five million of your taxpayer dollars on renaming an airport after the President,” Driskell wrote in a statement Monday. “The people of Florida did not ask for this,” she added. “It’s clear Tallahassee Republicans care more about political stunts than they care about your wallet.”
Eric Trump praised the bill signing on social media, thanking DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier, Weinberger and “the overwhelming majority in the Florida House.” The younger Trump wrote on X that Palm Beach International Airport is now officially “President Donald J. Trump International Airport” and expressed pride in playing “a small role in making this happen.” DeSantis did not hold a public bill signing event as he continues to mend fences with Trump following their clash over the Republican presidential nomination more than a year ago.
The airport name change requires approval from the Federal Aviation Administration before becoming official. Palm Beach International Airport serves as a major gateway to South Florida, handling millions of passengers annually. The facility sits in close proximity to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, which has served as his primary residence since leaving the White House. The renaming represents one of the first major legislative victories for Trump supporters in Florida since his return to the presidency.
The $5 million cost estimate for the renaming process includes updating signage, marketing materials, and administrative changes throughout the airport system. Florida Republicans defended the expenditure as appropriate recognition for a sitting president with strong ties to the state. The measure moved swiftly through the legislative process, with both chambers approving the bill within weeks of its introduction. Democratic lawmakers argued the funds could be better spent on infrastructure improvements or education initiatives.
The Federal Aviation Administration must now review and approve the name change request before the new designation takes effect at the airport.