Jonathan Roman | Staff Writer
Florida’s GOP announced changes in the state to honor President Donald Trump, as Trump’s team has unveiled renderings of his future presidential library in Miami. However, another lawsuit from Miami residents is set to stop Mr. Trump from owning the land.
The lawsuit filed in court Wednesday alleges that state officials violated the emoluments clause of the Constitution when they transferred the 2.6-acre property to Trump.
The emoluments clause states that a sitting U.S. President cannot accept gifts from any state that exceed their fixed salary of 400,000 a year. The property is valued at 67 million dollars.
The lawsuit reads that other states have been forced into an arms race in which they must either compete with Florida to lavish gifts on the President or fear being unfairly disadvantaged—the precise scenario that the Domestic Emoluments Clause was adopted to prevent.
Notably this lawsuit comes as Republican officials in the state have moved to rename major highways and a regional airport after Mr. Trump.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a transportation measure that will rename State Road 80, a 124-mile road, after President Trump. Road A1A located in Palm Beach County, to U.S. 41 has been designated “President Donald J. Trump Highway.” The naming comes as Florida’s GOP moves to rename over a dozen roads after Trump. Senate Bill 628, includes 16 road and facility name changes, including a coast-to-coast highway in South Florida. This move comes after Palm Beach commissioners passed a measure to rename South Ocean Boulevard as “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard”.
Republican State Representative Meg Weinberger of Palm Beach, led the charge on renaming the Palm Beach International Airport to “Donald J. Trump International Airport. Representative Weinberger said: “President Trump has fought hard for our country, and I’m certainly Grateful. People like me who really never imagined being involved in politics, he speaks common sense, and it’s important to have people who are driven by their heart and truly care for causes and the people. I think it’s quite an honor and he deserves it.” Governor DeSantis has approved the bill.
Mr. Trump shared renderings of a proposed future presidential library located in downtown Miami. The waterfront property, next to the historic Freedom Tower on Biscayne Boulevard, will host Trump’s major high-rise library. Trump took to Truth Social to post a video of the skyscraper.
The video shows gold doorways adorned with the Presidential seal and a gilded sign that reads “Donald J. Trump Presidential Library.” Inside the Library is set to host an Air Force One plane, alongside a Marine One helicopter used by the President.
The Library will also feature a recreation of Trump’s new White House ballroom that will replace the white house east wing, as well as a recreation of Trump’s Oval Office.
Attached to the posting was a link to rumplibrary.org. The skyscraper will also serve as another hotel for the Trump Organization. Trump said to White House reporters, “It could be an office, but it’s most likely going to be a hotel with a beautiful building underneath and a 747 Air Force One in the lobby.”
Manny Fernandez, a board member of FIU College Democrats on behalf of the organization said, “‘The Trump Library,’ if you can call it that, is just another opportunistic attempt from the President. He should be focused on ending the war he started with Iran and lowering prices for the average American, but instead, he’s been preoccupied with self-aggrandizement. Miami-Dade College and its Board of Trustees should be ashamed to have given away college land and resources practically for free, just to watch it end up serving as another Trump hotel in what will forever remain a stain on Miami.”
Panther Now also reached out to the FIU College Republicans for comment, but they declined to respond.
About Post Author
