Josh Gerben Analyzes the Trump Airport Trademark Filings for Axios

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill to rename the Palm Beach International after Donald Trump, about a month after Trump Org filed trademarks to protect the name.

Trademark attorney Josh Gerben first reported the Trump Airport trademark filings in February. 

The three trademarks, ‘President Donald J. Trump International Airport,’ ‘Donald J. Trump International Airport,’ and ‘DJT,’ are intended to be used for a variety of goods and services, including airport construction and repairs, as well as long list of merchandise.

While there are already airports named after U.S. presidents, Gerben tells Axios that, “This trademark filing is one of a first of its kind, as a sitting president is filing a trademark application through his private company for a name that’s going on a public building in an honorary capacity.”

Approval of the trademarks is not conditional on whether the Trump family makes money off of the 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.

Source: Falconer, Rebecca. https://www.axios.com/. “From Watches to pet clothing: Inside Trump airport trademark applications”. 30 March 2026.