A handful of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives has proposed naming a major international airport after the most recent Republican president: Donald Trump.
On Tuesday, Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) announced that he had introduced H.R. 7845, a bill to rename the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia as the Donald J. Trump International Airport.
“In my lifetime, our nation has never been greater than under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump,” Reschenthaler said in a statement. “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.”
The bill has six cosponsors, all of whom are Republicans: Reps. Chuck Fleischmann and Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Barry Moore of Alabama, Troy Nehls of Texas, and Michael Waltz of Florida.
In a statement, Rep. Moore noted that one major D.C. airport has already been named after Republican President Ronald Reagan. “It is only fitting that we would do the same for another one of our greatest presidents, Donald J. Trump, especially as he stands against the onslaught of weaponized government to fight for Americans like us,” he said.
The bill, which is just two paragraphs in length, states that the new airport name would go into effect “after the date of the enactment of this Act.” However, with the Senate and presidency in the hands of Democrats, the “enactment of this Act” seems quite unlikely.
Some Democrats have already taken swipes at the bill and former President Trump:
- “Donald Trump is facing 91 felony charges. If Republicans want to name something after him, I’d suggest they find a federal prison,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly, who represents the Virginia district where Dulles International is located.
- “If they name it after Trump, there could be continued round-trip service to Moscow,” quipped Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, a far-left partisan embroiled in controversy along with Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn.
At least one Republican has also dismissed the bill as an attempt by the cosponsors to ingratiate themselves to Trump. “No sane VA rep would support it,” former Virginia Congressman Denver Riggleman wrote on X. “If you want to ‘sycophant’ stick to your own damn airports.”
Democrat Rep. Don Beyer, a fellow Virginian, agreed, claiming that “the point” of the bill is to give cosponsors the chance “to suck up to their Dear Leader.”
Among the top 764 airports in America, Dulles is currently listed as the 33rd busiest. It is named after John Foster Dulles, the secretary of state under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, another Republican.
Newsweek reached out to a Trump spokesperson for comment.
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