Political science professor weighs in on PBIA name change
We are now less than 1 hour away from Palm Beach International Airport, officially becoming Donald J. Trump International Airport. Good evening and thanks for joining us for WPBF 25 News at 11. I’m Todd McDermott and I’m Felicia Rodriguez. New highway signage showcasing the switch is already in place along I-95. This will mark the first time in US history that an airport is named after *** sitting president. Jay Jarvis is live at the airport where the last departing flight under the old airport name took off less than an hour ago. That is if the schedule was correct, Jay. Yeah, that’s right, Todd and Felicia. It’s the end of an era here at PBIA, and it’s polarizing for many, but I spoke to *** local political political science professor who is encouraging people to look at this change through *** non-political lens. John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush, and now Donald J. Trump will join them as one of the few presidents to have *** major US airport named in his honor. I would hardly say this is, this is unusual. Um, there, there has been *** very long precedent for us to name and honor public figures in this country, and, and it literally goes back to our founding in 1607. Professor Philip Mancusi is an associate professor of political science at Palm Beach State College. He’s the renaming itself is not necessarily significant because there is precedent. If people sat down and they did the research, they would probably realize that more places were named after historic figures than they probably realize. And he says when he speaks to his students about topics like these, he leaves politics at the door. Just in the state of Florida, the Kennedy compound, for anybody that’s ever been to Peanut Island, know that, you know, there was *** bunker built for President Kennedy. Um, we’ve also got the Truman White House in Key West. Um, and you know, when we do reference those things, we don’t reference them in terms of politics. We just reference them in that the presidency, Article 2 of the Constitution, has made its mark, not once, not twice, but now 3 times in the state of Florida, and that, that’s *** pretty special thing for this state. We spoke with airport travelers about the change. I just don’t think it makes sense. I don’t think there’s *** point to it. He hasn’t really done much since he’s become president. He’s actually made things worse, and this is *** beautiful city. It’s *** beautiful airport, and I don’t want it to be attached to Donald Trump because there’s so much more outside of the city than Donald Trump because he’s done nothing. I think it’s *** good thing for honestly any president to get their. Be named after an airport, being such *** busy airport, such *** great airport in Florida, so I think it’s *** good thing no matter how you feel about him. I think it’s good for the community to know that he puts money in his community too, so I think it’s *** good thing for everybody. And while the name of the airport officially changes in 1 hour, the airport code will not change until next month. Reporting live tonight for the final time at PBIA, Jay Jarvis WPBF 25 News.
Political science professor weighs in on PBIA name change
Updated: 11:12 PM EDT Jul 8, 2026
On Thursday, Palm Beach International Airport will be renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport.New signage showcasing the switch is already in place.The decision is controversial to some both for political reasons and the fact that a sitting president has never had an airport named after them.“I would hardly say this is this is unusual. There has been a very long precedent for us to name and honor public figures in this country. And it literally goes back to our founding in 1607,” Phillip Mancusi, an associate professor of political science at Palm Beach State College, said.Mancusi said the renaming itself is not necessarily significant because there is precedent.“If people sat down and they did the research, they would probably realize that more places were named after historic figures than they probably realized,” Mancusi said.He said when he speaks to his students about topics like these he leaves politics at the door.“Just in the state of Florida, the Kennedy compound, for anybody that’s ever been to Peanut Island, know that there was a bunker built for President Kennedy. We’ve also got the Truman White House in Key West. And, you know, when we do reference those things, we don’t reference them in terms of politics. We just reference them in that the presidency, article two of the Constitution has made its mark not once, not twice, but three times in the state of Florida. And that that’s a pretty special thing for the state,” Mancusi said.WPBF 25 News spoke with airport travelers about the change.“I just don’t think it makes sense. I don’t think there’s a point to it. He hasn’t really done much since he’s become president. He’s actually made things worse. And it’s a beautiful city. It’s a beautiful airport, and I don’t want it to be attached to Donald Trump, because there’s so much more outside of the city than Donald Trump because he has done nothing,” traveler Cherrone Stewart said.“I think it’s a good thing for, honestly, any president to get their—to be named after an airport. I mean, it’s such a busy airport, such a great airport in Florida. So, I think it’s a good thing. No matter how you feel about them, I think it’s good for the community to know that he puts money in this in this community too. So, I mean, I think it’s a good thing for everybody,” traveler Kolby Pascarelli said.While the name of the airport officially changes Thursday, the airport code will not change until next month. Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
On Thursday, Palm Beach International Airport will be renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
New signage showcasing the switch is already in place.
The decision is controversial to some both for political reasons and the fact that a sitting president has never had an airport named after them.
“I would hardly say this is this is unusual. There has been a very long precedent for us to name and honor public figures in this country. And it literally goes back to our founding in 1607,” Phillip Mancusi, an associate professor of political science at Palm Beach State College, said.
Mancusi said the renaming itself is not necessarily significant because there is precedent.
“If people sat down and they did the research, they would probably realize that more places were named after historic figures than they probably realized,” Mancusi said.
He said when he speaks to his students about topics like these he leaves politics at the door.
“Just in the state of Florida, the Kennedy compound, for anybody that’s ever been to Peanut Island, know that there was a bunker built for President Kennedy. We’ve also got the Truman White House in Key West. And, you know, when we do reference those things, we don’t reference them in terms of politics. We just reference them in that the presidency, article two of the Constitution has made its mark not once, not twice, but three times in the state of Florida. And that that’s a pretty special thing for the state,” Mancusi said.
WPBF 25 News spoke with airport travelers about the change.
“I just don’t think it makes sense. I don’t think there’s a point to it. He hasn’t really done much since he’s become president. He’s actually made things worse. And it’s a beautiful city. It’s a beautiful airport, and I don’t want it to be attached to Donald Trump, because there’s so much more outside of the city than Donald Trump because he has done nothing,” traveler Cherrone Stewart said.
“I think it’s a good thing for, honestly, any president to get their—to be named after an airport. I mean, it’s such a busy airport, such a great airport in Florida. So, I think it’s a good thing. No matter how you feel about them, I think it’s good for the community to know that he puts money in this in this community too. So, I mean, I think it’s a good thing for everybody,” traveler Kolby Pascarelli said.
While the name of the airport officially changes Thursday, the airport code will not change until next month.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
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