Airport renaming agreement gives Trump oversight of branding, marketing tied to PBIA – WZTV
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by EricWeiss|Katie Bente
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Palm Beach County commissioners voted 4–3 Tuesday to approve a licensing agreement tied to the renaming of Palm Beach International Airport, a move officials said is necessary to comply with a new state law that already mandates the change.
The vote does not determine the airport’s name. Under the law, the airport is required to be renamed “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” with the change expected to take effect in July following required administrative steps.
Instead, Tuesday’s vote approves a naming rights and license agreement allowing the county to legally use the name in connection with airport operations.
The item came up hours into the meeting, which began at 9 a.m. but did not reach the airport discussion until about 1:40 p.m. By that point, much of the earlier crowd had left, with only a small number of attendees — including some wearing Trump merchandise — remaining in the chamber.
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During a presentation, the county attorney said the agreement is necessary both to implement the law and to protect the county’s legal and financial interests.
“The license agreement is needed to ensure our compliance with state law mandating the name change, protecting our state funding resources, [and] protecting the county from legal claims,” the attorney told commissioners.
Under the agreement, Trump’s company, DTTM Operations LLC, retains ownership of the airport name and associated trademarks. The county is granted a perpetual, royalty-free license to use the name for customary airport purposes, including signage, marketing, branding and operations.
The agreement also allows the county to use Trump’s name, image and likeness in promotional materials tied to the airport, subject to approval by the licensor.
County officials emphasized the agreement comes at no cost and does not provide for royalties, fees or revenue sharing to Trump or his company.
Commissioners questioned what would happen if the county did not approve the agreement. During the discussion, Vice Mayor Maria Woodward raised concerns about potential consequences.
“So not only would we lose our seat at the table, we will be penalized?” Woodward asked.
County staff indicated that failure to comply with the law could put state transportation funding and grant assurances at risk. Woodward later clarified the scope of the vote, saying, “It’s not whether or not this airport gets renamed — it’s whether or not we maintain our seat at the table.”
Public comment reflected sharp divisions, with more than 20 speakers signing up to address commissioners.
“Palm Beach International Airport already represents who we are and where we live, and I respectfully ask that it remain that way,” said Natalie Fraser, who spoke against the change.
Others supported the agreement or pushed back on criticism of the president.
“The agreement is valid and binding and royalty free — anyone claiming otherwise is simply wrong,” said Eric Weinberger, who supported the legislation.
At one point, Mayor Sara Baxter interrupted a speaker and asked that comments remain respectful. After public comment, she defended the president and the decision to move forward.
“Whether you like him or not, there is a respect of office owed to a man,” Baxter said.
The agreement outlines how the airport name can be used and establishes requirements for branding and merchandise. While Trump’s company does not receive royalties from sales, airport retailers that want to sell merchandise using the airport name must source those products through vendors designated by the licensor.
Victoria Doyle, a Palm Beach County congressional candidate and trademark attorney, criticized the agreement in an interview, calling it unusual for a public facility.
“This is a unique situation where a public airport is tied to a private trademark,” Doyle said. “It raises questions about control over branding and how the name is used.”
The agreement remains in effect indefinitely unless federal approval is denied, the state law is changed, or the airport name is altered through future legal action.
With the agreement now approved, the county can move forward with implementing the name change required by law. The Federal Aviation Administration does not approve airport names but must update charts and databases before the change is fully reflected in federal systems.
There have also been proposals to change the airport’s identifier code from PBI to “DJT,” though that decision would involve federal coordination.
The final vote broke 4–3, with Commissioners Sachs, Marino, Woodward and Baxter voting in favor, and Commissioners Powell, Weiss and Flores voting against.
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