Florida residents revolt over bill to rename Palm Beach Airport after Trump

Once considered a swing state, Florida has grown increasingly Republican in recent years. A Democratic presidential candidate hasn't won Florida since Barack Obama in 2012, and some of the most prominent figures in the MAGA movement have a strong Florida connection — from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi (Florida's former state attorney general) to Gov. Ron DeSantis to President Donald Trump himself.

In late January, a group of Republicans in the Florida State Senate voted to advance a bill to give the Palm Beach International Airport a new name: Donald J. Trump International Airport. But not all Floridians are happy about this move.

In some letters published by the Sun Sentinel editorial board on February 6, Floridians argue that the adulation of Trump by GOP lawmakers in the state is going way too far.

Casselberry, Florida resident Chuck. Weirauch, a former pilot, described his "growing sense of revulsion and disgust."

Weirauch wrote, "The Legislature is eagerly pursuing the approval of bills (SB 706 and HB 919) to take away local governments' ability to name their own airports to appease their Lord and Master. The whole idea seems silly, but its impact could potentially increase the cost of aviation and affect flight safety and operations."

The former pilot added that if the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) approves renaming the Palm Beach International Airport, it could cost taxpayers a fortune.

"Hundreds of aviation navigational charts, air traffic control documentation and airline avionics computer codes that allow pilots to safely operate aircraft might have to be changed to reflect the new name," Weirauch warned. "Ground maps, GPS data, road signs and directions would all have to be changed. Palm Beach County might have to pay for a host of these changes. Florida counties would lose autonomy, all to appease what I see as a would-be king and dictator who will never be satisfied."

West Palm Beach resident Scott Benarde wrote, "Trump International? No Way…. The list of reasons not to rename the airport for Trump is too long for this letter. Be careful what you wish for: Trump has three more years to cause more chaos and possibly end up in prison post-presidency."

Boca Raton resident David Kahn complained, "Trump's doormats in Tallahassee are hell-bent upon a name change for Palm Beach International Airport. They are willing to steal home rule control of PBIA from Palm Beach County and its Port Authority with a law that will vest naming rights for airports with the Legislature in Tallahassee — a Republican circus that doesn’t care what Palm Beach taxpayers want. It's full speed ahead on behalf of anything that will feed Trump's need for recognition."

James Carbone of Fort Lauderdale argued, "Instead of renaming PBIA for President Trump, I have a more appropriate idea for the dear leader to have his name on many more facilities that I know at least half the people in this country would support.

All prisons, sewage treatment plants and toxic waste dumps should be named for Trump."

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