Trump Organization Files Trademarks for Use of President's Name on Airports

The company says it doesn't plan to charge fees, but the move is unprecedented for a sitting president's private business.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Trump Organization has filed trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office seeking exclusive rights to use President Donald Trump's name on airports and related items like buses, umbrellas, and travel bags. The company says the filings were triggered by a Florida bill to rename the Palm Beach airport after Trump, and that it doesn't plan to charge any royalties or licensing fees. However, trademark experts say this is the first time a sitting president's private company has sought such broad trademark protections, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.

Why it matters

The Trump Organization's trademark filings are seen as an unprecedented move that blurs the lines between the president's private business interests and his public office. While presidents have had landmarks named after them in the past, a sitting president's private company has never before sought such broad trademark rights over the use of the president's name on public infrastructure like airports.

The details

The Trump Organization has filed trademark applications for the use of three names - "President Donald J. Trump International Airport", "Donald J. Trump International Airport", and "DJT" - on airports and related items. The company says the filings were triggered by a Florida bill to rename the Palm Beach International Airport near Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, and that it doesn't plan to charge any fees. However, trademark experts say the applications are unprecedented and raise questions about potential conflicts of interest, as the Trump Organization could theoretically seek to profit from the use of the president's name on other airports in the future.

  • The Trump Organization filed the trademark applications in early 2026.

The players

Trump Organization

The private business conglomerate owned by the Trump family, which has filed trademark applications seeking exclusive rights to use President Trump's name on airports and related items.

Josh Gerben

A trademark lawyer who uncovered the Trump Organization's trademark filings and stated that they are "completely unprecedented" for a sitting president's private company.

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What they’re saying

“To be clear, the President and his family will not receive any royalty, licensing fee, or financial consideration whatsoever from the proposed airport renaming.”

— Trump Organization (travelindustrytoday.com)

“While presidents and public officials have had landmarks named in their honour, a sitting president's private company has never in the history of the United States sought trademark rights in advance of such naming. These are trademark filings that are completely unprecedented.”

— Josh Gerben, Trademark Lawyer (travelindustrytoday.com)

What’s next

The Florida bill to rename the Palm Beach International Airport after President Trump is still pending, and it remains to be seen if the Trump Organization will seek to profit from the use of the president's name on other airports in the future.

The takeaway

The Trump Organization's unprecedented trademark filings for the use of the president's name on airports highlight the ongoing concerns about the blurred lines between Trump's private business interests and his public office, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest and the appropriate use of a sitting president's name on public infrastructure.