We're a Step Closer to a Golden Trump Airport

Palm Beach County just cleared a key hurdle in its push to put Donald Trump's name on its airport. By a 4-3 vote, county commissioners approved a trademark and licensing deal with the Trump Organization, a step needed to rename Palm Beach International as President Donald J. Trump International Airport on July 1, pending FAA sign-off. The agreement, already signed by Trump, is unusual for a presidential airport, a trademark lawyer tells the New York Times: unlike Kennedy and Reagan airports, this one involves a private business, as the Trump Organization has filed to trademark the airport's name.

The agreement hands the family control over biographical displays at the airport and lets it approve which retailers can sell airport-branded goods, an unusual element for a license agreement, reports the Miami Herald. The Trump family won't earn money from branded items sold at the airport itself, but may profit from items sold elsewhere. The deal also suggests a golden logo similar to the presidential seal. The arrangement, rushed to commissioners the day before the vote, drew a packed and divided crowd: Trump supporters in MAGA gear and residents opposed to the change, expected to cost $5.5 million. County officials stressed they weren't debating the renaming, already approved by state law, but said the licensing was needed to shield the county from trademark lawsuits.