Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday renaming Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport, marking a reconciliation between the two Republicans who clashed over the presidential nomination last year. The governor signed HB 919 without a public ceremony as he continues to mend fences with Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago Club sits east of the West Palm Beach airport.
“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 argued Trump deserves the honor for cracking down on illegal immigration by deporting more than 400,000 undocumented migrants and forcing Canada and Mexico to restrain fentanyl trafficking into the country.
The Florida House voted 81-30 along party lines in support of the bill, while the Senate vote was 25-11, also along party lines. Eric Trump praised the signing on X, thanking DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier, bill sponsor Rep. Meg Weinberger, R-Palm Beach Gardens, and “the overwhelming majority in the Florida House!”
House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, criticized the measure as misplaced priorities by state 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.”
“It’s clear Tallahassee Republicans care more about political stunts than they care about your wallet,” Driskell added. The renaming carries a cost of five million taxpayer dollars, according to Driskell’s statement, though the specific breakdown of expenses was not detailed in the legislation.
The renaming would take effect in July, but it still needs approval from the Federal Aviation Administration before becoming official. The federal agency must approve all airport name changes, adding another step to the process before the West Palm Beach facility can officially bear Trump’s name.
DeSantis delivered the legislation signing without the fanfare typically associated with major bill signings, reflecting the ongoing effort to repair his relationship with Trump following their contentious primary battle. The two Republicans had exchanged sharp criticism during the 2024 presidential primary campaign before DeSantis withdrew from the race.
The airport renaming represents the latest effort by Florida Republicans to honor Trump, who established his primary residence at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach after leaving the White House. The legislation specifically designates the facility as “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” using Trump’s full formal name and presidential title.
The Federal Aviation Administration review process will determine the timeline for when new signage, maps, and official documentation reflecting the airport’s new name can be implemented across the facility and in aviation systems nationwide.