America has a strange habit of waiting until its leaders are gone before deciding they were worthy of honor.
We name buildings after them. We place their portraits on walls. We speak about their courage, accomplishments, and place in history. By then, the person being honored is no longer here to see it.
I do not believe we should wait.
That is why I sponsored the legislation renaming Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
President Trump is the first president in American history to call Florida home. Palm Beach County is not simply a place he visits or a state he carried in an election. It is his community. It is where he built his life, raised his family, created jobs, and returned after serving his first term in the White House.
His connection to this county is real, lasting, and unlike that of any other president.
His influence on my own life is personal, too.
President Trump inspired me to run for office because he spoke with common sense, stood by his convictions, and challenged an establishment that had stopped listening to everyday Americans. Watching him made me realize that regular people cannot remain on the sidelines. We have to step forward, serve, and make a difference.
People may disagree with President Trump’s policies, style, or political movement. But no serious person can deny his impact.
He transformed the Republican Party, reshaped American politics, survived impeachments, investigations, prosecutions, attempts to remove him from the ballot, and an assassin’s bullet. He then returned to the presidency with a national mandate.
His place in history is secure. We should have the confidence to recognize it while he is still here to receive the honor.
Some critics have tried to portray the airport renaming as a private benefit for the Trump family or the Trump Organization. That claim is false, and the legislation was written to ensure it could never become true.
The Trump Organization permanently waived its trademark rights connected to the airport name and related merchandise. Palm Beach County will pay no licensing fees or royalties. President Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization will receive no revenue from the airport’s name.
Not one dollar.
Any money generated through airport merchandise will belong to Palm Beach County and can be reinvested into the community.
Representative Kim Kendall, Senator Debbie Mayfield, and I worked with Palm Beach County and the Trump Organization from the beginning to make the legislation transparent, legally sound, and protective of taxpayers.
This was never about using a public airport to enrich a private business. It was about honoring a president while ensuring the public receives the full benefit.
Too often, political debate begins with the worst possible assumption. When President Trump’s name is involved, critics immediately search for corruption, self-dealing, or some hidden motive.
Public officials have a responsibility to look past that noise and ask a more basic question: Is this good for the people we represent?
In this case, the answer is yes.
President Donald J. Trump International Airport will carry one of the most recognized names in the world, one already inseparable from Palm Beach County. Travelers across the country and around the globe associate President Trump with Florida, Palm Beach, and Mar-a-Lago.
That recognition has value.
Palm Beach County is growing, and its aviation infrastructure should grow with it. The county operates two additional airports that could accommodate more activity through longer runways, additional hangars, and future investment.
President Donald J. Trump International Airport can become the premier gateway to Palm Beach County and the Free State of Florida, strengthening its national and international identity while our other aviation assets expand to serve the region’s growth.
Reasonable people can disagree about whether an airport should bear President Trump’s name. I respect honest disagreement.
But honest disagreement requires honest facts.
Taxpayers are protected. Palm Beach County receives the benefit. The airport gains a globally recognized identity tied directly to the county it serves.
And Florida honors its first president while he is still alive to receive it.
I grew up in a home where service was respected and gratitude was expressed while people were still here to receive it.
President Trump has served this country through attacks and opposition few American leaders have ever faced. He has carried Florida with him to the White House, made Palm Beach County part of presidential history, and inspired people like me to step forward and serve.
Someday, people will wonder why naming this airport for him was ever controversial.
I would rather be remembered as someone who recognized the moment than someone too afraid of political criticism to act.
President Trump deserves the honor. Palm Beach County deserves the opportunity. Taxpayers deserve the protections we secured.
That is why I sponsored the legislation.
That is why I voted for it.
And that is why I am proud to stand by it.