Donald Trump Wants An Airport Named For Him

President Trump is asking about what airport will be named for him once he leaves office. However he’s concerned that whatever airport is chosen, it needs to be nice enough. He didn’t accomplish the infrastructure investment he campaigned on, but worries that a dilapidated airport will bear his name.

In the dying days of his presidency, Donald Trump has taken to asking some aides and advisers about the process of naming airports after former U.S. presidents, according to two people who’ve heard him recently inquiring on this.

One of the two sources relayed that, in the past three weeks, Trump mentioned that “no president” wants an American airport that has a bad reputation or crumbling infrastructure named after them. The other knowledgeable source said that Trump had, at one point since the 2020 election, offhandedly asked what kind of “paperwork” was necessary to get an airport named after a former president.

Donald Trump used to have navigational waypoints named for him before the FAA took those away. And he used to have an airline that is now the American Airlines Shuttle in the Northeast.

Grover Norquist raised a ton of money for the ‘Reagan Legacy Project’ to have something named for Ronald Reagan in every state. That’s a key reason why Washington National airport was officially renamed Reagan National Airport. Of course, politics aside, those who have lived in the DC area for more than two decades continue to just call it National. Trump has reportedly hoped for an organized effort like that around renamings for him.

Airports are named for politicos all the time. San Jose’s airport is named for Norm Mineta, the Transportation Secretary who first oversaw the TSA (before there was a Department of Homeland Security). Little Rock airport is now the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport. Houston Intercontinental is named for Bush 41. New York’s Idlewild was renamed in honor of JFK. There’s Gerald Ford airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And Wichita’s airport is named for Dwight Eisenhower.

It’s actually not that unreasonable question for a soon-to-be ex-President to ask, what will be his naming legacy? Although it’s unusual for the President himself to do the asking. There’s naturally going to be pushback from the President’s opponents, but I wonder if a grand bargain isn’t possible here – an airport gets named for the President, but it’s Sioux City (code: SUX) or Fresno (code: FAT)?

(HT: René )

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Trump doesn’t deserve anything named for him other than a jail or prison. Or maybe an airport that handled small planes, but is now closed. What gall.

  2. Sioux Falls. They love him there. Including the Governor. He can also build his Presidential library and attach it to the local Krogers. And Rudy can probably find him a Four Seasons for appearances. Four Seasons Total Landscaping.

  3. A dumpster fire would be more appropriate or a graveyard full of Covid victims due to his reckless disregard for human life—over The entrance could be a sign saying ‘but I liked his policies’…..

  4. How about a “beautiful” SEWER plant.The biggest shit hole ever or maybe rename Rikers or Angola for the biggest LOSER ever.
    it’s time to ignore this 2 bit con man and his gang that can’t shoot straight.
    Throw Rudy in there to keep him company and change his diapers.

  5. Trump should accept that there are few big airports that could be candidates, particularly in states that he is associated with. PBI (Palm Beach, FL) is not very impressive but close to his new residence. EWR (Newark) could be if Liberty were removed but I would favor that only if Trump donated at least $500M to that airport. HPN (Westchester County, NY) is a nice small airport which should accept $60M to change their name.

    In general, Presidents should not expect an airport to be named after them, not Trump, Obama, Bush (W/43), Carter, Nixon, etc.

    O’Hare, named after the war ace Butch O’Hare, is a fine memorial to the man.

  6. Just another example of the ultimate narcissist and insatiable ego this clown has. Having something named after you is granted for recognition or honor of your accomplishments. So far, his only real notable accomplishment is the lack of action that resulted in the deaths of over 315K Americans in the past 12 months. Yeah, maybe name a mass grave site after him.

  7. Why not name a Federal jail after him – of which, I hope he resides in for the remainder of his miserable life!

  8. Perhaps something akin to Harry Truman Airport – a gravel runway in the middle of a aircraft graveyard where planes land but never take off.

  9. Corruption, malfeasance, incompetence … seems like Berlin’s new airport (BER) should carry The Donald’s name!

  10. I’m really surprised that he didn’t go through with a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that he campaigned on. Between Trump and Transportation Secretary Chao (former Wells Fargo board member) think of all the billions in graft they could have received.

  11. I wish the US Government, at all levels federal-state -local, would adopt the following guidelines for naming stuff.

    1. You must be dead before anything is named after you. If they pass on, and we still think highly of the person, than something new can be named after them.
    2. Nothing will be renamed. If a building or airport or anything already has a name, it keeps it. Example would be National airport–should never have been renamed after Reagan. Naming a new ship after him after he passed away is fine.

    The absolute worst practice is naming things for politicians that are still in office.

  12. It’s official: Gary is crowned with having the most advanced case of TDS among all miles/travel bloggers. Congrats, Gary!! We’re counting on you finding ways to keep up with your deranged obsession on Trump even after he’s left office. You can do it! lol

  13. I am so enjoying the comments! Personally, I don’t feel there are any airports worthy of his horribleness! To subject that city’s citizens to the negativity of trump is a punishment, beyond the pall. Sioux Falls is being slammed by Covid-19. I think that is enough punishment for having that state’s idiot leaders. Fresno already has Devin Nunes, so maybe that is a possibility?

  14. John’s excellent suggestion of Fresno (FAT) needs an international “sister” Airport. I nominate Fukuoka (FUK)

  15. I agree with Russia! Definitely not the USA, he would probably demand a control built atop a giant statue of him ….amazing he has just checked out on the country when the Pandemic is getting worse and hospitals are in dire need of support.
    Not a single even remote act of leadership coming from him during these critical times. History will spell it all out when the emotions die but just read up
    on Joe McCarthy if you want to see who else used the same playbook.

  16. We could have named plenty of sewage plants after him, if only John Oliver hadn’t made that a cool thing to do.

  17. POO – Pocos de Caldas Brazil
    BOO – Bodo, Norway
    BUM – Butler, PA
    DIK – Dickinson, ND
    DUD – Dunedin, NZ
    MAD – Madrid, Spain
    SUK- Samcheok, Korea

  18. I am sure there is some airport that is willing to accept money in exchange for Trump’s name.

    TMS (Trump M-something Syndrome) – currently Sao Tome International Airport
    Douala International Airport, Cameroun
    Kaohsiung International Airport, Taiwan ROC
    Marshall Islands International Airport, Majuro

  19. I agree with naming a sewer plant after him. He could even have his statue out front with him sitting on his golden toilet. But if it must be an airport, then POS is also an option since he’s the biggest POS to ever be president.

  20. I propose GITMO being named after him, if CUBA will allow. After all Guantanamo Bay is a processing center for asylum-seekers and derelicts. The Orange pied piper and his minions (The ReThug Congressional Senate & HR) rightfully belong in a mental institution named after their hero.

  21. Actually, the formal name of DCA is “Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport”. Shortened properly to “Washington National” or just “National”. Maybe in the future when Reagan’s full legacy is recognized it can go back to that.

    Donald Trump could get D-Block named after him.

  22. Well gosh. I guess we know which side of the aisle ‘ol Gary sits on….
    Always enjoy these articles that quote “sources”. Bogus writing there Gary. My source is quoted as saying Gary likes to sit when he pees. Also a lot of people commenting suffer from TDS…

  23. Agree with the poster commenting on the lack of any support for trump.
    It’s heartening to see and may indicate hope for the return of such old fashion values as honesty,
    dignity and decency in our national discourse now that it’s returning to the White House.
    If there was any doubt about trumps character it’s certainly evident now just what a genuine narcissistic sociopath he actually is. His behavior has been indefensible during these times and it appears more and more know that. He still has the proud boys and Q-anon folks I’m sure, but even decent republicans now realize what a lame horse they backed

  24. Good Responses, I personally was thinking of The Trump Family Cemetery at Three Mile Island. He can open a Trump hotel there also.

  25. I don’t think he deserves all the bitter and snarky comments. He’s done so much to MAGA that he should be honored for what he pledged to do and accomplished,

    Therefore I propose the portion(s) of the border wall built since 2016 and paid in full by Mexico should be forever named the Donald J. Trump Go Around Me or Under Me Wall/Fence/Barrier.

  26. TSS (East 34th St Heliport in NYC) – all those with Trump Sycophant Syndrome can join his fat a$$ on a chopper leaving New York for good.

  27. @ Gary. Should you ever have the need to advertise, it appears that many of your readers are of the CNN, MSNBC mindset. Perhaps because those commentary outlets were dispensing political propaganda and opinions, verses news, in gate areas for many years.
    BTW, airports also name runways after political heroes. KAUS, 35R/17L (the short one) is the Jake Pickle runway. 35L/17R (the long one) is the LBJ Runway and consequently referred to as the long Johnson runway.

  28. The helipad at Mar-a-lago should be reinstalled and named the Donald J. Trump aerodrome (just for helicopters only).

    A more suitable location would be a permanently anchored garbage scow/barge/what have you in Long Island Sound (for ”Dumpster” Donboy’s helipad). There should be a large sign on the S.S. Donald J. Trump Memorial Garbage Scow/Barge which reads ”Property of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey” (and located where Donboy can’t see or find it). ”Dumpster” Donboy would also have absolutely no say on where the barge is anchored (or when it gets moved, shuttled around, relocated or temporarily ”disappeared”).

    Maybe the airport code could be ”POO” too (it’s all his for keeps).

  29. Is PIN taken for an airport code? Short for Pinocchio and Pinhead….does double duty in helping define his legacy

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