Donald Trump Airport? Or Donald Trump Prison? Politicians battle over naming rights

WASHINGTON - House Democrats escalated the Donald Trump naming wars Friday, proposing that a federal prison in Miami be re-dedicated to the former president who faces up to four criminal trials.

The mocking proposal − which is highly unlikely to pass in the Republican-run House − came days after a group of GOP members proposed that Washington Dulles International Airport be re-named for Trump.

In making a counter-proposal, Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., said "it is only right that the closest federal prison to Mar-a-Lago should bear his name. I hope our Republican friends will join us in bestowing upon Donald J. Trump the only honor he truly deserves.”

Trump, who faces an April 15 start date in a federal hush money trial, did not comment on social media on the prison proposal, but said he was pleased by the plan to re-name Dulles.

"Such a great honor!" he said Friday on his Truth Social platform.

In his proposal to rename Dulles, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., said that "as millions of domestic and international travelers fly through the airport, there is no better symbol of freedom, prosperity, and strength than hearing ‘Welcome to Trump International Airport’ as they land on American soil.”

That plan also faces an unlikely chance of approval, as the Democratic-run Senate and President Joe Biden would have to sign off.

The Dulles airport - which is in suburban Virginia, a little more than 25 miles from Washington, D.C. - is named for John Foster Dulles, secretary of state under President Dwight Eisenhower during the 1950s.

Trump, the presumptive nominee for the Republican presidential nomination, has denounced the four sets of criminal indictments against him as "election interference."

In addition to the hush money case, Trump faces a federal case of mishandling classified documents. There are also federal and state of Georgia cases over Trump's efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden.

Trump, who is seeking delays of his trials until after Election Day in November, could conceivably be sentenced to prison if he is to be convicted.

In proposing to re-name a prison after Trump, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., said: "Everyone knows President Trump loves to write his name in gold letters on all his buildings ... But he’s never had his name on a federal building before and as a public servant I just want to help the former president. Help us make that dream a reality.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump Airport? Or Trump Prison? Politicians battle over naming rights