(Image source from: AFP)
The family business of Donald Trump has requested exclusive rights to use his name for airports and related travel services, arguing that this is more about safeguarding the Trump brand than generating income. According to the Associated Press, the Trump Organization, which is now managed by Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has submitted trademark requests for various forms of the President’s name. In documents sent to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the organization asked for exclusive rights to names like “President Donald J. Trump International Airport," “Donald J. Trump International Airport," and “DJT." The requests also include a broad range of airport-related services and products, such as buses for passengers, luggage, umbrellas, and flight outfits.
The organization stated that these requests are important because Trump's name is often wrongly used and called it “the most infringed trademark in the world. " The Trump Organization claimed it does not plan to make money from airports that might use the Trump name, including a suggestion to rename Palm Beach International Airport, which is situated close to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. “To clarify, the President and his family will not get any royalties, licensing fees, or financial benefits from the airport renaming," the organization mentioned in a statement. It explained that the aim was to stop “bad actors" from using the Trump name without permission. These trademark applications appeared alongside reports that Trump considered renaming major transport centers, like Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport. Reports indicated that this idea was linked to talks about federal funding for infrastructure projects, but Chuck Schumer dismissed the proposal.
Trump later stated that he did not personally bring up the naming idea, saying on social media that it came from “certain politicians and leaders of construction unions. " Schumer also refuted the proposal. Typically, major landmarks in the US are named after presidents years after they leave office or after they pass away. Airports have been named after former presidents, such as John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton, only after considerable time has gone by.
