Palm Beach International Airport, a South Florida facility that has served over half a century, was officially renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport on Thursday. This change took effect following a state law passed months prior, adding the airport to a growing list of entities bearing President Trump’s name.
Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization, announced on X that the President’s plane was the first to land at the newly renamed airport at 5:01 a.m. on Thursday. He lauded the President, stating, “There is no person who has done more for Florida and our country, and no one more deserving of this incredible honor.” Eric Trump, who flies out of the airport daily, expressed pride in seeing the initials ‘DJT’ on his boarding pass.
The President frequently uses this airport due to its proximity to his Mar-a-Lago estate. A lifelong New Yorker, Trump declared Palm Beach his permanent residence in 2019 and regularly travels there from the White House. The airport serves more than 8 million passengers annually across over a dozen airlines.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorized the name change to “DJT” from “PBI” on Thursday. Updated highway signage directing drivers to the renamed airport was shared earlier this week, and a 4-mile stretch of the main road connecting Mar-a-Lago to the airport was also renamed for Trump in January.
Airport officials stated in an online FAQ that the transition, including updates to signage, branding, and public-facing materials, will occur in phases. Passengers are advised to continue searching for “PBI” when booking flights and checking bags until the International Air Transport Association (IATA) code changes on August 18. The airport clarified that ownership and operations remain unaffected, describing it as solely a “branding change.” Officials acknowledged that the name change might be received differently by passengers but expressed gratitude for continued support, reiterating their commitment to providing a safe, reliable, and welcoming experience.
The renaming, however, has become the subject of two separate local lawsuits and considerable controversy. President Trump is the first sitting U.S. president to have an airport named in his honor. Historically, such distinctions have been bestowed after a president leaves office, as seen with John F. Kennedy International Airport, renamed a month after his assassination in 1963, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which added his name in 1998, nearly a decade after his presidency.
Florida Rep. Lois Frankel, a Democrat, criticized the legislature’s decision in a May statement, calling it “a clear overreach.” She emphasized that “Airports named after presidents have traditionally been designated once they leave office and through decisions made by local communities and local authorities — not imposed from above.”
Adding to the unusual nature of the renaming, Trump took the step of registering trademarks for the airport’s new name. DTTM Operations, a private company managing Trump’s intellectual property, filed three applications in February for “DJT,” “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” and “Donald J. Trump International Airport.” All applications were pending approval as of this week.
Kimberly Benza, a spokesperson for the Trump Organization, informed NPR via email that filing for trademark protection is standard practice for the company, citing the “Trump” name and brand’s international recognition and frequent targeting by infringers. Despite denials from Trump and the Trump Organization regarding any financial gain from the renaming, the trademarking has raised questions about potential benefits.
Josh Gerben, a D.C.-based trademark attorney, highlighted the uniqueness of this situation, noting, “Most of the time, these things are meant to be an honorary renaming and … in this case, obviously, there’s a private entity owned by Trump’s family whose trademarks are now licensed to a publicly-owned airport.” He added that no other presidential namesakes hold their own trademarks. Benza, however, reiterated that “the President and his family will not receive any royalty, licensing fee, or financial consideration whatsoever from the airport renaming.”
Accusations of profiting from the presidency have long followed Trump, intensified by recent financial disclosures revealing over $1 billion in cryptocurrency and other business ventures last year. The White House has denied any financial conflict of interest, but experts suggest even the perception can be damaging. Jake Linford, a professor at Florida State University College of Law specializing in copyright and contracts, referenced historical norms: “If you go back to 1976, Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer, and he sold off his peanut farm before he became president… And that has been the custom, the norm. And it was a norm that Trump violated.” The White House did not respond to NPR’s requests for comment.
While earlier efforts by U.S. House Republicans to rename Virginia’s Washington Dulles International Airport after Trump stalled, the idea for the Palm Beach airport quickly materialized in Florida. The Florida legislature passed the renaming legislation along party lines in February, and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed it into law in March. Notably, DTTM had already filed multiple trademark applications for the new name by the time the bill was signed.
Consequently, the bill specifically mandates an agreement between Trump and Palm Beach County, authorizing the free, “perpetual and unrestricted” use of the name. Gerben explained this necessity, stating, “Because otherwise they could theoretically be in violation of these trademarks that Trump had filed.” The Palm Beach County board of commissioners approved the 35-page licensing agreement by a 4-3 vote in early May, following a public meeting with strong opinions both for and against the renaming. The document includes various branding and logo options, some featuring a golden eagle.
Legal experts, however, have identified a potential loophole concerning sales beyond the airport. Given that the license is non-exclusive, Gerben suggests Trump could theoretically license the airport name trademarks to third parties, and the contract does not explicitly restrict such profits. “So based on my reading of the agreement, it would seem that if [the Trump Organization] wanted to sell merchandise online, that they would be able to do so without any connection to the airport,” he said.
Rebeca Krogman, an airport spokesperson, told NPR that the airport has no current plans to sell branded merchandise and is unaware of any vendors doing so. The Trump Organization and White House did not respond to NPR’s inquiries about potential plans for merchandise sales outside the airport, though Eric Trump denied profit reports on social media in May.
The trademark applications list a wide array of goods that could bear the airport’s name, including watches, jewelry, collectible coins, cuff links, purses, backpacks, suitcases, umbrellas, tote bags, clothing, robes, neckties, belts, and even “plastic slippers used in the airport environment when going through security to keep feet and socks clean.” The applications also cover numerous services such as airport construction, aircraft fueling, baggage check-in, passenger shuttles, ticket booking, airport lounges, snack bars, and baggage security screening. Gerben, who reviewed the applications, described them as “very well drafted” from a legal perspective, noting they cover virtually every aspect of airport operation where the name would appear.
Linford pointed out another potential area for concern: the merchandising clause of the licensing agreement does not address services in the same way it does royalties from goods. He speculated, “So you could imagine a Trump airport lounge in the new Donald J. Trump International Airport where licensing fees going back to DTTM … and back to Trump’s holdings more generally isn’t foreclosed by this [agreement] at all.” Eric Trump’s earlier denial did not explicitly mention services.
Lawyers also suggest the new arrangement grants Trump more power over the airport. Gerben explained that the airport or its concessionaires cannot independently source merchandise; any manufacturer must be approved by Trump. While many trademark licensing agreements include quality clauses, specifying the exact manufacturer is rare. This setup, Gerben noted, allows the Trump Organization to “funnel to whatever company they want the ability to make all the merchandise that’s going to be sold on airport premises,” potentially impacting costs for customers or the airport. Linford added, “I’m not sure that this clause in and of itself is enough to prevent any sort of kickback.”
Furthermore, the agreement stipulates that Trump retains control over any use of his “name, likeness, image and biographical information” at the airport. Gerben stated this means the Trump Organization can dictate how he is presented, from photographs to signage and descriptive language. “If they don’t like the expression on Trump’s face on a picture that the airport plans to use, they’re going to have to find another picture,” he said. Such controls, he believes, create additional hurdles for the county and could increase the overall cost of the renaming process, which already includes replacing signs and uniforms.
Airport officials have estimated the total cost of the rebranding at $5.5 million, according to member station WLRN. The 2026-2027 state budget, signed into law by Governor DeSantis last week, allocates $2.75 million for the renaming. Krogman confirmed that the rebranding will proceed in phases “based on available funding,” and the Department of Airports will continue to seek all available funding sources, including legislative appropriations, Florida Department of Transportation funding, grants, and other airport funds, with future decisions following the airport’s normal budgeting process.
Air Force One pictured outside Palm Beach International Airport in April. Trump makes frequent trips to his Florida home. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption
Members of the U.S. Secret Service stand by ahead of Trump's arrival at Palm Beach International Airport in February. Nathan Howard/Getty Images hide caption
