Palm Beach International Airport has been flooded with dozens of angry messages—including a bomb threat—over a bill that will soon see the facility renamed after President Donald Trump.
GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill in March to rebrand the airport—just five miles down the road from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago—the “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” effective July 9. In addition to the new name, in a rare move, the airport’s code will change from PBI to DJT.
The Florida airport is the latest to be adorned with Trump’s name, joining federal buildings, monuments, savings accounts, passports, gold coins and dollar bills, many of which have sparked legal challenges. Last week the president was dealt a blow, however, when his name was removed from the outside of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Since March, when the plans to rename the airport were unveiled, travelers have bombarded its website comments log, obtained by NOTUS through a Florida Public Records Act request.
Most of the Trump-related comments the airport received between March and mid-May were critical or in opposition to the move, according to the outlet’s analysis of the submissions.
Worryingly, one of the comments cited the president in a threat to detonate explosive devices within the airport or on an outbound plane unless $30 million was paid. It was not clear whether the threat was investigated.
Others vowed never to travel via the airport again unless the plans were pulled.
“I will never again utilize PBI for any travel plans now that it is named for the orange-headed clown,” one person said.
“If you actually change the name of this airport and honor that man, I will make it my mission in life to never, ever, EVER spend a penny at your airport,” another said.
“Please!!! Block this travesty,” one traveler pleaded.
“The fate of the Kennedy Center in DC should be instructive as to how well this may play out,” a comment from a person who called themselves “Angry Flyer” submitted on March 31.
Other comments referred to Trump’s former friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the late disgraced financier who died by suicide awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019. Trump has denied all wrongdoing and maintained he cut off contact with Epstein long ago.
The airport addressed the controversy on its website in a FAQ section, where it responded to “travelers who may have concerns about the airport’s new name.”
Palm Beach airport said it recognized “that the required name change may be received in different ways by our passengers,” adding that it remained “committed to serving all passengers and ensuring a positive travel experience.”
“While some things may evolve over time, our core focus remains the same: providing a safe, reliable and welcoming airport experience,” the response continued.
The rebranding, along with related upgrades, is expected to cost approximately $5.5 million, according to The Palm Beach Post.
The Trump Organization previously said the president and his family “will not receive any royalty, licensing fee, or financial consideration whatsoever from the proposed airport renaming.”
