Lauderdale-by-the-Sea will soon become Trump-by-the Sea at this rate.
New Times’ photo illustration (Lauderdale-by-the-Sea photo by Dennis Bernhard/Flickr)
As a town of just 1.5 square miles, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea in Broward County has a limited number of streets. However, the town with only about 6,000 permanent residents could soon have two streets named after President Donald Trump.
House Bill (HB) 33, which would designate a portion of Commercial Boulevard between West Tradewinds Avenue and Ocean Boulevard in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard,” passed the Florida House of Representatives last week and now awaits Senate approval, paving the way for another Trump-dedicated street in the area. If passed, the bill would go into effect in July 2026.
“The Department of Transportation is directed to erect suitable markers designating the transportation facilities as described in this section,” the bill reads.
At a contentious town meeting last September, the Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Town Commission approved the addition of “President Donald J. Trump Drive” to Sea Grape Drive in a 3-2 vote. Commissioner Richard DeNapoli, the item’s sponsor, claimed adding Trump’s name would be a boon for tourism.
“This will not hurt tourism, ” he said during the meeting. “On the contrary, it will enhance it. I think we all know nobody is canceling their beach plans because of a sign. Far from driving visitors away, this will be a draw. It could even bring a presidential visit.”
Among those against the proposal, one resident called the name change “an abomination,” while another said it was “disgraceful.” Still, the item was approved, and the designation was added.
If the Senate approves HB 33, the two Trump roads will intersect, much like the golden arches of Trump’s beloved McDonalds, just west of Ocean Boulevard. The legislation also proposes renaming a road in front of Florida International University (FIU) in Miami-Dade County after slain conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk.
The proposed renaming would add to a growing list of Florida streets named after the president. Last year, the Florida legislature renamed a road near the president’s Mar-a-Lago club “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.” In 2024, the Miami-Dade County Commission officially approved Hialeah’s request to designate Palm Avenue “President Donald J. Trump Avenue.”
Soon, visitors could fly into President Donald J. Trump International Airport in Palm Beach, then drive down President Donald J. Trump Boulevard. Perhaps, Florida will one day ditch its Sunshine State nickname and instead be called the “Donald Trump State.” But for now, we’ll settle for a quaint South Florida town as it slowly but surely transitions to “Trump-by-the-Sea.”