Officials at Palm Beach International Airport were deluged with angry comments — including a bomb threat — after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis paved the way for the facility to be renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
According to NOTUS reporting by David Levinthal, who obtained the airport's website comments log via a Florida Public Records Act request, airport officials faced the brunt of abuse and boycott threats from travelers furious over the renaming.
According to the report, the backlash was swift and severe. One commenter identifying as "Florida Native" wrote on April 2: "I will never fly in or out of this pathetic, a-s-kissing airport again once you change the name to honor the most corrupt, incompetent, disastrous moron to ever hold the office."
Another traveler promised: "I will never again utilize PBI for any travel plans now that it is named for the orange headed clown."
A third commenter promised retribution: "If you actually change the name of this airport and honor that man, I will make it my mission in life to never, ever, EVER spend a penny at your airport."
The rage intensified as the renaming became official. On May 5—the day The New York Times published a story revealing "To rename its airport after Trump, Palm Beach had to license his name"—one commenter wrote: "You bunch of spineless m-----------s. Taxes aren't to make Trump rich. That is corruption," while noting the president was licensing his name and stood to profit.
According to the NOTUS report, "One person, citing Trump, made a bomb threat — it’s unclear whether officials investigated — saying they had placed explosive devices within the airport and on an outbound plane. They demanded $30 million to not detonate them."
Levinthal added, "At least 17 messages mentioned pedophilia in some form or fashion — not-so-oblique references to Trump’s onetime friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the dead financier and socialite who served prison time for soliciting a minor for prostitution and later faced more than 40 years in prison over charges related to sex trafficking minors. Trump has denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein’s crime or criminal allegations against the convicted sex offender," before adding, "Several commenters encouraged Florida officials to perform sex acts on themselves."
