Politics

Florida Lawmaker Proposes Renaming Palm Beach Airport After Donald Trump

A Florida lawmaker wants to rename an airport after Donald Trump. Palm Beach Gardens representative Meg Weinberger filed a bill to officially change Palm Beach International Airport to the Donald J. Trump International Airport.

The airport is only four miles from Trumpโ€™s Mar-a-Lago estate. Weinberger, who calls herself MAGA Meg, has also pushed a bill to rename a section of Southern Boulevardโ€”the road leading to Mar-a-Lagoโ€”after Trump.

Trump moved to Florida in 2019. He left New York after winning the 2016 election and explained his decision:

โ€œI cherish New York, and the people of New York, and always will, but unfortunately, despite the fact that I pay millions of dollars in city, state, and local taxes each year, I have been treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state,โ€ he said. โ€œFew have been treated worse. I hated having to make this decision, but in the end it will be best for all concerned.โ€

Trump has owned Mar-a-Lago since 1985. He bought the estate from the Post Foundation for $10 million. Over the years, he turned it into a private club with guest rooms, a spa, a beach club, a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, and tennis and croquet courts.

When he became president, the membership fee doubled to $200,000. Most members were already part of the club, including real estate developers, energy executives, and Wall Street bankers. Only a few new members are allowed each year.

Mar-a-Lago has also been the site of many parties and gatherings. Over the weekend, Trump hosted a Halloween party called โ€œA little party never killed nobody,โ€ inspired by the Fergie song from The Great Gatsby movie.

Guests wore flapper costumes and watched cabaret routines. A burlesque showgirl posed in a giant Martini glass while gold and silver balloons floated above the pool. Attendees drank champagne and listened to 1920s-style music.

Tickets for past Mar-a-Lago events have been around $1,000, though itโ€™s unclear how much this one cost. Trumpโ€™s family attended, including Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Michael Boulos, who is married to Tiffany Trump.

Other guests included Senator Marco Rubio and Judge Jeanine Pirro. The party looked like a scene from a Gatsby remake, with plenty of champagne, flapper dresses, and a hint of โ€œtoo much money to count.โ€

If Weinbergerโ€™s airport bill passes, Palm Beach International would join a small list of U.S. airports named after living politicians. Critics may call the idea unusual, while supporters call it โ€œwell-deserved recognition.โ€ Either way, it would strengthen Trumpโ€™s Florida legacy.

Weinberger hasnโ€™t said how likely the bill is to pass, but she has shown a strong interest in renaming local landmarks after Trump, so she seems determined.

Trump has always enjoyed grand gestures. From Mar-a-Lago renovations to headline-making parties, having an airport with his name fits his style. Whether travelers will be excitedโ€”or confusedโ€”to fly into the Donald J. Trump International Airport remains to be seen.

Featured image via Youtube screengrab

Justen Blake

Fast writer. No fluff. Deadlines donโ€™t scare me โ€” they motivate me.