This week, Rep. Addison McDowell (R-N.C.) introduced legislation to rename the Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, DC, after President Donald J. Trump.
“We have entered the golden age of America largely thanks to President Trump’s leadership,” McDowell said in a statement. “It is only right that the two airports servicing our nation’s capital are duly honored and respected by two of the best presidents to have the honor of serving our great nation.”
Other Republican congressmen have co-sponsored this legislation, including Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), Brandon Gill (R-Texas), Riley Morre (R-W.V.), and Brian Jack (R-Ga.).
According to WUSA9 in Virginia, Washington Dulles International Airport “was named after John Foster Dulles when it opened in Northern Virginia in 1962. Dulles served as President Dwight Eisenhower's secretary of state from 1953 until his death in 1959, overseeing a buildup of the United States' overseas alliances and support anti-Communist regimes during the Cold War.”
It is certainly not unprecedented for airports to be named after presidents. Several major U.S. airports have been named in honor of past presidents, reflecting their legacies. John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York has carried its iconic name since 1963. George H.W. Bush International Airport in Texas adopted its presidential name in 1997, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia was named for our 40th president in 1998. Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Arkansas, which was named for both a president and a secretary of state, got its name in 2012. Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Kansas was renamed in 2014. Heck, even Gerald R. Ford has an airport named after him in Michigan; it got its name in 1999.
It's also not unprecedented for airports already named after people to have their names changed. McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas was renamed Harry Reid International Airport back in 2021, for some reason.
This is hardly the first time renaming an airport for Trump has been proposed. A similar bill to rename Dulles after Trump was introduced last year, and went nowhere. There’s currently an effort underway to potentially rename Nashville International Airport to Trump International Airport.
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of renaming things once they’ve already been given namesakes. Instead of renaming Dulles, I propose that a better option would be to consider renaming an airport such as Orlando International Airport (MCO) to honor President Trump. Here's why this would be a more suitable choice.
For starters, Trump is now an official resident of Florida, and it makes sense for Trump to be honored by the renaming of a home state airport. Then there’s the fact that Orlando International Airport is not yet named for anyone, and it would be far less controversial for Florida's state government to rename Orlando International Airport after Trump than to have the U.S. Congress wasting time debating the name change of Dulles for Trump. While Republicans control the House and Senate, their majorities are slim, whereas in Florida, Republicans have a far more solid majority in the Florida state government.
Besides, Orlando is known for its tourism and attractions, including Disney World and Universal Studios, which draw millions of visitors from around the globe. Renaming Orlando International Airport after Trump could resonate more with those who experience the city firsthand. Unlike Dulles, which serves as a gateway to the swamp that is Washington, DC, Orlando is a cultural and recreational hub—a far more positive place to bear Trump’s name.
So, forget Dulles; I'd rather see Orlando International Airport bear Trump's name.
