The Trump family company has filed to trademark the use of the president’s name on airports but says it doesn’t plan on charging a fee — at least for a proposed renaming of one near his Florida home.
Applications filed by the Trump Organization with the federal trademark office are seeking exclusive rights to use the president’s name on airports and dozens of related things found there, from buses shuttling passengers to umbrellas and travel bags to flight suits.
The filings come amid debate in Florida over a state bill to name the Palm Beach airport after Trump and a dispute over funding of a tunnel between New York and New Jersey that is tied up with proposals that both it and the Dulles International Airport in Virginia bear his name.
The Trump Organization said that the applications were triggered by the Florida bill and that it didn’t seek any profit — only protection against “bad actors” given that the Trump name is the “most infringed trademark in the world.”
“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 company said it in a statement, referring to what is now called the Palm Beach International Airport near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.
Get daily National news
The company didn’t respond immediately when asked if it would charge royalties for the use of the name at other airports in the future, or on merchandise listed for protection in the filings.
Josh Gerben, a trademark lawyer who uncovered the filings over the weekend, said the applications were the first of their kind he’s ever seen.
“While presidents and public officials have had landmarks named in their honor, a sitting president’s private company has never in the history of the United States sought trademark rights in advance of such naming,” Gerben wrote on his blog. “I should be very clear: these are trademark filings that are completely unprecedented.”
The applications filed by a family company unit called DTTM Operations with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are for the use of three names — President Donald J. Trump International Airport, Donald J. Trump International Airport and DJT.
The family has been on a branding spree in the past year, putting its name on towers, golf resorts and residential developments in Dubai, India, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. The company has also been selling Trump branded electric guitars, bibles and sneakers, ventures that also fall under the DTTM unit.
In response to criticism that he and his family are profiting off the presidency, Trump has said that his business is held in trust by his sons and that he has no day-to-day involvement in the company.
And I would know. I’m extremely unhinged. Anybody that ever read my deranged comments would agree. I’m a total donkey. Hee haw
Of course they do How else are they going to pay all the fines that Daddy is amassing ! Throw Trump out now before he causes any more damage to the USA
The only thing Trumps name should be on is his permanent cell door. Or a headstone. never ever in my life have I seen someone so narcissistic. Unreal! The man is a unhinged, completely.
More personal enrichment!! What else is new
Trump’s name should be featured in Stormy Daniels porn movies and maybe for outdoor latrines at special events. They would be easily identifiable as “Trump Dump Stations”
Unbelievable, yet another way for Trump to make money! His name will go down in history in shame.
The only thing his name belongs on is a head stone
Why would any airport or even a bathroom have Trump in the name. His name should be stricken from all history.