Airport officials tried to placate frequent flyers on the day Palm Beach International Airport was officially renamed after President Donald Trump.
“While we recognize that the required name change may be received in different ways by our passengers, we’re grateful for your continued support through this transition period,” the airport wrote on an FAQ section above an online contact and comments form as the name change went into effect Thursday.
Most airport patrons who expressed their thoughts were neither appeased nor pleased.
“It’s truly entertaining that you had to add a disclaimer to this form explaining the renaming of your airport after our racist, xenophobic, misogynistic 47th president,” one person wrote.
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“Hopefully you’ll have plenty of airbags to catch the barfs from people as they drive up,” wrote another.
“I find ‘Donald J Trump’ getting his name placed on our structures in this country to be appalling and gross. How do we continue to get on our knees for such a narcissistic criminal so-called president?” asked a woman identifying herself as “Dawn.”
These comments echo dozens of other enraged, exasperated or mildly threatening messages people sent the airport from during the first five days the new name was in effect after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that changed the name to honor the president. They build on other tempestuous tidings flyers sent this spring in the weeks after DeSantis put the name change in motion.
NOTUS obtained the messages through a Florida Public Records Act request.
The White House lauded the airport name change.
“President Trump is focused on saving our country — not garnering recognition,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told NOTUS in an email Tuesday. “However, given his vast accomplishments, including signing the largest tax cut in history, securing the border, restoring peace through strength, and more, it is natural that local officials and other great patriots want to recognize the President’s incredible work on behalf of the American people.”
Florida flyers who wrote to the airport mostly disagreed. A prevailing theme among their missives: boycotting or avoiding President Donald J. Trump International Airport altogether.
One person identifying himself as a business owner who regularly uses the airport said he “will gladly reroute our travelers to other airports around and within Florida. Our business will not support your choice.”
A woman identifying herself as “Jan” explained that her sister lives near the airport, and that she and her family frequently flew into Palm Beach International Airport to visit a relative.
“I am writing to assure you that as long as you are calling this airport anything closely related to ‘TRUMP’ I will NEVER FLY INTO THERE. NEVER! You have 100% lost all my family’s business. Despicable move!” she promised.
A “Canadian visitor” who has “travelled to and from your airport dozens of times” praised the airport for being a “pleasant, well run facility.” But “once the name is changed, I will never step into it again despite the travel inconvenience,” she said.
Another person similarly vowed: “With the name change you people have seen the last tourism cent from this family.”
At least a dozen people specifically mentioned Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (about 50 miles south) or Miami International Airport (about 70 miles south) as airports they’d use instead.
Some of the recent messages to President Donald J. Trump International Airport dripped with sarcasm.
“I don’t care if your airport pulls an Oprah and gives everyone who flies out of or into Palm Beach a new car. I will NEVER fly out of your airport as long as it has that egomaniac’s name on the sign.”
“Hey Palm Beach, are you thrilled that your airport is named for a convicted felon?”“Do you offer complementary flights to Epstein’s Island?” wrote someone calling themselves “Donald Trump” — in reference to Trump’s onetime friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
At least two dozen messages referred to pedophilia in some form. Trump has denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein’s crimes and other allegations against the financier, who died in 2019.
Others alternately called Trump a “fascist,” “felon,” “megalomaniac,” “Nazi,” “thief,” “asshole” and “senile old man.”
DeSantis’ gubernatorial office did not respond to NOTUS’ phone and email messages.
A Donald J. Trump International Airport spokesperson acknowledged NOTUS’ inquiry but did not otherwise respond.
“The airport remains committed to safe, efficient and customer‑focused operations. The name change does not modify our mission or core services,” the airport says on its website.
Trump’s private jet — a Boeing 757 he calls “Trump Force One” — flew into President Donald J. Trump International Airport on Thursday to mark the name change. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and residence is about 5 miles from the airport.
Only a handful of people writing the airport in the past week praised the new name.
“Changing the airport’s name was an awesome idea. Why??? Because our President deserves it … President Donald J. Trump has done an awesome job,” one Trump supporter wrote.
“Just wanted to comment that I LOVE the new name. May you have many, many successful years of business. Great job!!” wrote another.
A few flyers took a more philosophical approach, suggesting that the shifting winds of politics may one day blow Trump’s name off the facility’s facade.
“Be aware that this name change will not endure,” one writer predicted to the airport. “Citizens will eventually recover our political influence and we shall reverse this blot on our good name. I recommend that you budget accordingly.”
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