• The Palm Beach International Airport is now officially named President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
• Eric Trump praised the name change as a deserving honor for his father.
• The airport's new code "DJT" will take effect on August 18.
• The renaming is part of a wider push to honor Trump's legacy through public infrastructure.
• Reactions from travelers were divided, with some welcoming and others criticizing the decision.

On Thursday, a South Florida airport was officially renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport, replacing the long-held name of Palm Beach International Airport. This change follows Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's earlier legislation authorizing the renaming, marking a significant honor according to supporters of the former president. Airport officials have indicated that the transformation will take several weeks, featuring a mix of old and new branding during the transition period, as communicated in a Facebook post by the airport management.

The first aircraft to arrive under the new name was "Trump Force One," a Boeing 757 owned by the Trump Organization, which landed shortly after 5 a.m. carrying Eric Trump, among other passengers. The Trump family regularly uses this airport when visiting the president's Mar-a-Lago residence, and earlier this year, the road connecting the airport to Mar-a-Lago was also renamed Donald J. Trump Boulevard, according to Los Angeles Times and India Times.

Celebrating the occasion, Eric Trump expressed on X that “there is no person who has done more for Florida and our country” and conveyed pride in seeing “DJT” on his boarding pass. The official name change took effect immediately; however, the airport's three-letter code will change from PBI to DJT on August 18, aligning with the rebranding efforts that are expected to cost up to $5.5 million for new signage and other modifications, as noted by the South China Morning Post and Los Angeles Times.

The renaming event drew mixed reactions from travelers. One passenger, Keegan Collett, expressed surprise but relatively indifference, stating that “it’s just the name of an airport. There’s bigger things.” Conversely, corporate pilot Chris Bailey supported the decision, saying Trump “has certainly done enough to warrant” such an honor. On the flip side, some critics, like doctor John Manov, argued that “Palm Beach is a better brand. People don’t really like Donald Trump,” according to India Times and Los Angeles Times.

This rebranding is seen as part of a broader campaign by Trump supporters to honor the former president with public infrastructure initiatives. On the same day, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attended a ceremony in Tennessee to unveil the Donald J. Trump Bridge. Critics have compared the spread of Trump-branded institutions to personality cults typical in authoritarian regimes, while supporters argue that these changes reflect Trump’s political legacy, as noted by South China Morning Post and India Times.