US President Donald Trump’s name is now appearing on an expanding list of public institutions and government initiatives during his second term in office, with the latest addition being Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, which has officially been renamed President Donald J Trump International Airport. The airport joins a growing list of buildings, programmes and projects that have been rebranded with Trump’s identity since he returned to the White House last year.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation in March approving the change. On Thursday, the airport officially adopted its new name, while its Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identifier was changed from PBI to DJT, Trump’s initials, news agency Reuters reported.
Trump name expands across government projects
The airport is the latest addition to a series of initiatives that have adopted Trump’s name since he began his second White House term.
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Reportedly, Trump’s name has been attached to a planned class of Navy warships, a visa programme for wealthy foreigners, a government-run prescription drug website and federal savings accounts for children.
Trump has also pursued a broader remaking of Washington. His name was added to the United States Institute of Peace building, although courts rejected an attempt to rename the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after him.
The renaming of the Florida airport is widely seen as a tribute to Trump’s long association with Palm Beach, where his Mar-a-Lago resort is located.
Eric Trump aboard first flight
Eric Trump and his family were aboard the first aircraft to land at the newly renamed airport in the pre-dawn hours on a private plane.
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“I don’t think there’s anybody more synonymous with Palm Beach than Donald Trump in maybe all of Florida,” Trump’s son Eric Trump said in an interview with Fox News.
He later added in an interview with “Fox & Friends”: “There’s no way in hell I was letting UPS be the first plane to land.”
Travellers will continue using the PBI airport code for bookings until August 18, when the change will be reflected on baggage tags, airline reservation systems and tickets, according to the airport.
The airport said the renaming exercise cost $5.5 million.
Other US airports named after political leaders
Palm Beach is not the only American airport named after political figures.
The airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, is named after former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, although it continues to use the LIT airport code.
Other US airports have also been renamed after former lawmakers, including airports in Las Vegas and San Jose, California.
(With inputs from Reuters)
