Pilot Files Lawsuit to Challenge Renaming of Palm Beach Airport After President Trump
By Colson Thayer
Published on April 17, 2026.
A Florida pilot, George W. Poncy Jr., has filed a civil complaint against the state of Florida, its Department of Transportation and Governor Ron DeSantis over the state's decision to rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald Trump. The lawsuit asks the Palm Beach County Circuit Court to declare House Bill 919 unlawful and block its enforcement before it goes into effect on July 1. The bill, which allows the state to name major commercial service airports, is expected to cost $5.5 million to rebrand the airport, but does not include any state funding. According to Poncy's complaint, the renaming efforts would cause “asynchronous updates” across systems like air traffic control communications and navigation databases.
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