As a former pilot and aviation writer, I read the column “State plays politics with airport names” and news story “Bill to rename airports advances” with a growing sense of revulsion and disgust.
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 most preposterous part of the bill is to obtain permission from the FAA to change the name of Palm Beach International Airport to Donald J. Trump International Airport.
If the bill passes, and the FAA approves the name change, 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.
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.
Chuck Weirauch, Casselberry
An embarrassment
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA – JANUARY 16: Florida State Rep. Meg Weinberger (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump unveil a “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard” sign during a Road Dedication Ceremony at Mar-a-Lago on January 16, 2026 in Palm Beach, Florida. Florida State lawmakers approved the name change of a portion of Southern Boulevard to “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.” (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Trump International? No Way.
One has to wonder who pressed Republican state Rep. Meg Weinberger of Palm Beach Gardens to sponsor a bill (HB 919) to rename PBIA for the sitting president, which according to her would be “a tribute to his leadership.”
As hard as I might, I could not figure out what deserving leadership she was referring to, especially recently.
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.
Go ahead and embarrass our community with the name change. It will always be PBIA to me.
Scott Benarde, West Palm Beach
An attack on home rule
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.
Rep. Meg Weinberger of Palm Beach Gardens, a sponsor of the name change, is obviously vying to be Trump’s most slavish sycophant — no small task.
Ignoring the likely wishes of most residents of West Palm and the county, she got four miles of Southern Boulevard renamed after the despicable villain whom many historians already recognize as the country’s worst and most corrupt president. Weinberger’s effort to draw parallels with other airports renamed after former presidents (after they left office) is disingenuous and dumb.
Surely, there are more deserving men and women whose presence has been of greater benefit to Palm Beach County.
David Kahn, Boca Raton
The Trump Swamp
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.
To include nature, let’s add swamps — since he has such affinity for them, too.
James Carbone, Fort Lauderdale
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