
In an unexpected move within Tennessee politics, State Rep. Todd Warner, a Republican from Chapel Hill, introduced legislation that may result in the Nashville International Airport being renamed after President-elect Donald Trump. Warner's proposed House Bill 217 would rechristen the state's largest airport as Trump International Airport. However, this action would be exclusive to Nashville's airport, with a necessity for new signage, adjustments to existing contracts, and updates to trademarks and patents to reflect the new name, as reported by WKRN.
According to WBIR, filed just before Trump's upcoming inauguration, this bill also mandates the metropolitan airport authority to undertake all necessary steps for the name change, including informing local, state, and federal agencies of the adjustments. During the transition period, the airport may continue operations under its current name, specifying its status as "doing business as Trump International Airport".
The circumstances surrounding this proposal have sparked a discourse on the appropriateness and timing of such a change. Under HB 0217, which applies to international airports run by metropolitan airport authorities in counties with populations exceeding 500,000, the renaming would also include changing registered trademarks with the US Patent and Trademark Office and revising all existing legal documents, as WBIR details.