Pilot Says Renaming For Trump Is Dangerous. Seeks To Stop.
PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A Palm Beach County pilot is suing to stop Palm Beach International Airport for President Donald Trump. The renaming, set to happen over the summer, is unsafe and hugely problematic — according to the pilot. It also allegedly blurs the line between government power in a home-rule county.
George W. Poncy, Jr., an FAA-licensed pilot who regularly flies through PBI-controlled airspace, filed the amended verified complaint last week against the State of Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis, and the Florida Department of Transportation. The lawsuit targets HB 919 — signed into law earlier this year — which mandates PBIA be renamed “President Donald J. Trump International Airport” effective July 1, 2026. Poncy argues the law was rushed through without any coordination with Palm Beach County, the Federal Aviation Administration, or aviation safety officials, and with no cost-benefit analysis. The County, which owns and operates PBIA, was never consulted, he says.
The safety argument is the core of the lawsuit. Poncy says that while the FAA identifier “PBI” would remain unchanged, airport names are deeply embedded in air traffic control communications, navigation databases, and international aviation systems. A state-imposed renaming, according to Poncy, creates a dangerous situation where different systems use different names — a mismatch that could cause miscommunication between pilots and controllers, particularly during high-use or time-sensitive operations. He also claims he will face out-of-pocket costs updating his own aviation software subscriptions and navigational databases. Separately, the complaint notes the total cost of implementing the change statewide is estimated to exceed $5.5 million, with only partial state funding provided.
Poncy is asking the court to declare HB 919 unconstitutional and unlawful on three grounds: that it violates Palm Beach County’s home-rule authority over a locally-owned facility, that it bypasses Florida’s own statutory process for naming public buildings after individuals under Section 267.062 of the Florida Statutes, and that it is arbitrary and capricious because it was enacted without findings, analysis, or reasoned decision-making. He is also seeking a temporary injunction to block the law from taking effect while the case proceeds. Poncy is representing himself in the matter, which was filed April 12 in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. The DeSantis administration has not yet responded to the suit.
