Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Monday to rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Trump — as his family business seeks to trademark the use of his name on airports, a move legal experts called unprecedented.
Why it matters: The Trump family business has said it "will not receive any royalty, licensing fee or financial consideration whatsoever from the proposed airport renaming." But trademark lawyers say the filings could still give it control over how the Trump name is used.
Driving the news: DTTM, the company acting on behalf of the president and his family, filed three "unprecedented" airport-related intent-to-use applications to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, trademark attorney Josh Gerben first reported in February.
- Two of these, "President Donald J. Trump International Airport" and "Donald J. Trump International Airport," related to airport construction and repairs and include extensive lists of merchandise — clothing for people and pets, bags, watches, jewelry, umbrellas, tie clips and socks, along with airport lounges.
- A third application for "DJT" relates to airport construction and repairs only.
- An attorney for DTTM referred Axios to the Trump Organization for comment; the company did not respond to Axios' requests for comment in February and again in March, including on Monday.
Zoom in: There are currently eight commercial airports named after a president in the U.S., plus some smaller general aviation ones.
- This trademark filing is a first of its kind because a sitting president is "filing a trademark application through his private company for a name that's going to go on a public building in an honorary capacity," Gerben tells Axios.
- Trademark attorney Craig Simmeron tells Axios DTTM's broad range of trademark claims represented a "shotgun approach" that's "like throwing stuff at the wall and waiting to see what will stick," with the option to cancel elements later.
- "Like watches — he probably could get that. But security services, airport lounges — no," Simmeron said in a phone interview.
What we're watching: The bill DeSantis signed requires a legal agreement licensing's Trump's name for the airport, at no cost, for a variety of purposes. It takes effect July 1.
- "That means the mark owner will be able to exert some control over the way the mark is used," trademark expert Alexandra Roberts tells Axios.
- This could include fonts, logos and the size of Trump's name on the front of the airport, said Roberts, a Northeastern University law professor, via email.
Context: Hundreds of trademarks have been filed with Trump's name since the 1980s.
- At first, lawyers thought applications filed during his presidency might run afoul of the law.
- Now most say it's probably in bounds.
The bottom line: Approval of trademarks isn't conditioned on whether Trump's family makes money off an airport naming, Gerben notes.
- "It's only conditioned on whether or not the airport gets named and is actively using the name and whether or not there's actual merchandise being sold," he said.
Go deeper: Trump America: Everything the president has tried to name for himself
