On February 13 and 14, DTTM Operations LLC, a private company managing intellectual property licensing for Donald Trump, filed applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to secure federal protection for potential names for airports, including “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” “Donald J. Trump International Airport,” and “DJT.” The filings coincide with a reported effort by Trump to leverage federal infrastructure funds to compel local governments to rename airports in his honor.
The trademark applications, filed on an “intent to use” basis, allow the company to claim the names before they are officially adopted. This move is unprecedented, as airport names are traditionally determined by the governmental entities that own or manage the facilities, not by private businesses seeking to profit from them. According to Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney, “We’ve never witnessed an American president, while in office, have his private company proactively trademark the very names of a piece of government infrastructure that that same president was attempting to bring about.”
The filings extend beyond simply securing the names themselves. DTTM Operations LLC also sought trademarks for associated merchandise, including clothing, luggage, and watches. This suggests an intention to control and monetize branded products linked to any airport renamed after Trump. The broader implication is the creation of a licensing structure where the American government, or the entities managing the airports, would be required to pay licensing fees to Trump’s business for the use of the name, potentially in perpetuity.
The situation began with Dulles International Airport outside of Washington D.C., where Trump reportedly conditioned millions in federal infrastructure funding on the airport being renamed. Florida’s state House of Representatives subsequently voted to rename Palm Beach International Airport as “President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” with the measure now awaiting consideration by the state Senate. This action followed shortly after the trademark applications were filed.
The current situation echoes past scrutiny of financial dealings involving the Biden family and the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma Holdings. During the 2020 presidential campaign, Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly alleged that Joe Biden, as Vice President, improperly pressured Ukraine to fire a prosecutor to protect his son Hunter Biden, who served on Burisma’s board. The Wikipedia entry for the Biden-Ukraine conspiracy theory details these allegations, noting that they were central to Trump’s first impeachment trial. Yet, investigations found that Biden’s actions were consistent with U.S. Policy aimed at combating corruption in Ukraine, and a confidential informant’s claims of bribery were later discredited with the informant being indicted in 2024 for fabricating the account.
Burisma Holdings, as reported by NS Energy Business, became a focal point during Trump’s impeachment proceedings, with accusations that he attempted to coerce Ukrainian leaders into investigating the Bidens. Hunter Biden’s position on the Burisma board raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, particularly given his father’s role in overseeing U.S. Policy in Ukraine. Britannica details how the Ukraine scandal centered on Trump’s request to Ukraine’s President Zelensky to investigate the Bidens in exchange for political favors.
As of February 20, 2026, no formal statement has been issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office regarding the pending applications filed by DTTM Operations LLC. The Florida Senate is scheduled to consider the bill renaming Palm Beach International Airport in the coming weeks.
