House Republicans launch longshot effort to rename Dulles Airport to honor Donald Trump

Washington — A group of House Republicans is spearheading a longshot effort to rename the largest airport in the Washington, D.C.-area — to honor former President Donald Trump. 

H.R. 7845 would designate the Washington Dulles International Airport the "Donald J. Trump International Airport." The airport is currently named after John Foster Dulles, who served as Secretary of State in the Cold War era under former President Dwight Eisenhower. The D.C. area's other major airport is named after former President Ronald Reagan. 

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, a Pennsylvania Republican and the majority chief deputy whip, introduced the bill on Friday. It has six GOP co-sponsors so far — Reps. Michael Waltz of Florida, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Charles Fleischmann of Tennessee, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Barry Moore of Alabama and Troy Nehls of Texas.   

"In my lifetime, our nation has never been greater than under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump," Reschenthaler said in a statement. "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."

The effort, first reported by Fox News, has next to no prospects in Congress more broadly, with a Democrat-controlled Senate. And it may not even make ground in the GOP-controlled House. 

The House Republican majority has been steadily shrinking in recent months, facing a handful of resignations even before lawmakers finished their terms. House Republicans now must have near unanimity to approve partisan legislation, which has been difficult to come by amid divisions within the conference. 

Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat who represents one of the districts that the airport falls within, quipped in a social media post that "if Republicans want to name something after him, I'd suggest they find a federal prison," citing the felony charges the former president faces.

Rep. Jennifer Wexton, another Virginia Democrat who represents the other district the airport is within, said the effort is another instance of House Republicans showing how "unserious & delusional they are."

"Let's get to work on the real issues the American people sent us here for — not renaming an airport after someone who sought to undermine our democracy," she said.

Kaia Hubbard

Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.

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