PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Palm Beach County could have to pay a licensing fee to a company connected to President Donald Trump if state lawmakers force the county to rename Palm Beach International Airport after the current president.
DTTM Operations, which state records show is connected to the Trump Organization and controls several trademarks related to the company, filed three new trademark applications related to an airport named after Donald Trump.
WATCH: County may have to pay licensing fee for name change
The applications were filed as two bills are moving through the state legislature to rename Palm Beach International Airport to President Donald J. Trump International Airport.
According to the application, which was reviewed by WPTV, the company is trying to get exclusive use of the name for suitcases, travel bags, animal carriers, baby diaper bags, umbrellas, luggage tags, plastic slippers used when going through security, headwear, hoodies, caps, outer jackets, skirts, dresses, footwear, collectible coins, watches and several other pieces of merchandise.
The application also looks to use the name for airport baggage check-in services, passenger shuttle services, websites, rental of aircraft hanger space, parking garage services, construction of airports, fueling services for aircraft, valet parking, airport lounges, restaurants and other services related to an airport.
The applications were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Friday for “President Donald J. Trump International Airport” and “Donald J. Trump International Airport.”
An application for “DJT” for airport-related activities was filed Saturday.
According to ICANN, domains for both airport names were created this weekend as well.
Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney, said these type of applications are unprecedented because a sitting president has never had his company seek rights to a public entity’s name while also having influence over the regulatory office. He said these trademark protections, which Gerben said would likely be granted, would require any entity to pay a licensing fee to use the name.
"There's got to be what we call consideration or some sort of money changing hands for that license agreement,” Gerben said. “So, the question here is, well, what are they trying to get out of it?"
Michael Santucci, the attorney who filed the trademark application, directed our questions about possible licensing fees to the Trump Organization.
The director of executive operations and communications for the Trump Organization sent WPTV this statement:
President Donald J. Trump is deeply honored that the people of Florida are considering renaming his hometown airport in his honor. To be clear, the President and his family will not receive any royalty, licensing fee, or financial consideration whatsoever from the proposed airport renaming. The airport renaming bill currently in the Florida legislature requires a license agreement from The Trump Organization allowing Palm Beach County to use his name for the airport. The Trump Organization is, and always has been, willing to provide this right to his hometown county at no charge.
Because the Trump name is the most infringed trademark in the world, The Trump Organization recently filed a trademark application for the new proposed airport name in order to protect the name for Palm Beach County and the State of Florida, thus preventing bad actors from infringing upon or misusing the name. The proposed renaming of Palm Beach International Airport is consistent with a long, historical precedent of naming airports in our country after U.S. Presidents and other Americans who have made significant contributions to our nation.
State Democrats filed an amendment to one of the bills related to renaming the airport, which would have prevented the state from paying fees or royalties to any person for renaming an airport.
However, state Republicans killed the amendment during a committee hearing on Tuesday, and passed the bill out of committee as well.
State Senator Shevrin Jones (D-Miami Gardens) argued the bill stopped ethical concerns over a person allowed to benefit financially from a public position.
"Not President Trump or anybody should be able to receive personal monetary benefits while serving as president of the United States," he said.
However, State Senator Debbie Mayfield (R-Melbourne) said there was no cost to the airport for making the name change.
“There is no cost to the airport to make this change name,” she said. “There is no royalty cost that the airport is paying. There is no franchise fee that the airport is paying. There is no cost associated at all that is going to cost Palm Beach County airport from using the trademarked name. This was a trademark name before. It’s been a trademark name for quite a while.”
Records submitted to the state legislature show county staff estimate renaming Palm Beach International Airport would cost $5.5 million. The application said costs would include making and installing all signage on roadways, terminals, parking areas, airfield locations, equipment and vehicles including all branding elements like logos, marks and design standards along with revising the website, mobile applications, social media, advertising, promotional items, uniforms and other related materials.
Currently, the Florida senate's proposed budget allocates $2.7 million to the airport for the change, while the house's proposed budget provides no funding.
The funding gap could widen further because the county's expense list for the name change does not include any potential licensing fees. When asked about the funding shortfall, an airport spokesperson said "any additional costs would be funded by airport revenues."
