Republicans Move to Rename Major Airport After Trump
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
It’s possible that you could soon be flying into, out of or through Donald J. Trump International Airport.
H.R.7845 — “To designate the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia as the ‘Donald J. Trump International Airport’” — was introduced in the Republican-controlled House on March 29.
The bill was immediately referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which is chaired by Missouri Republican Rep. Sam Graves.
As of April 13, the text of the bill wasn’t immediately available on the congressional website, but should be readable here at some point.
Fox News, however, reportedly obtained a copy of the text of what it described as a “brief bill.”
If the bill becomes law, “the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ‘Donald J. Trump International Airport,’” Fox said, reporting on the text of the legislation.
“Any reference in any law, regulation, map, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the airport referred to in subsection (a) shall be considered to be a reference to the Donald J. Trump International Airport,” it added.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania, the House Republicans’ chief deputy whip, according to Fox.
It was co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Michael Waltz of Florida, Andy Ogles and Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Barry Moore of Alabama, and Troy Nehls of Texas, the outlet noted, citing the Congress.gov website.
“In my lifetime, our nation has never been greater than under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump,” Reschenthaler told Fox.
“As millions of domestic and international travelers fly through the airport, there is no better symbol of freedom, prosperity and strength than hearing ‘Welcome to Trump International Airport’ as they land on American soil,” he added.
Fox noted that Dulles saw about 25 million passengers last year, making it the 33rd-most-traveled airport in the nation, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
If Dulles does become DJTI, both major D.C.-area airports would be named for Republican presidents, as National Airport was renamed Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in 1998, the outlet noted.
Of course, the bill is unlikely to pass the Democrat-controlled Senate, or even be taken up for a vote.
Then there is the question of a presidential signature. The idea of President Joe Biden signing a bill honoring his main opponent while running against him in the 2024 presidential race seems so remote as to be almost not worth mentioning.
The upshot is that it’s not very likely that flyers will have the opportunity soon to patronize Donald J. Trump International Airport.
But “politics is the art of the possible,” as Otto von Bismark once famously observed. Stay tuned, dear reader.
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