The small coastal city of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, north of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, became the center of a national debate after approving the renaming of one of its streets to honor President Donald J Trump.
The measure, backed by the majority of the city council, has generated criticism among local residents, who fear a negative impact on the community’s tourist image.
Donald J Trump Drive is named Donald J Trump Drive
NEW: Palm Beach approves ‘President Donald J. Trump Boulevard’ near Mar-a-Lagohttps://t.co/rOFeCb2EB7
– Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) September 10, 2025
The resolution, passed by a 3-2 vote in the city council, will change the name of Sea Grape Drive – a street where the Broward County Republican Party headquarters is currently located – to Donald J Trump Drive.
The proposal was introduced and championed by Mayor Edmund Malkoon, who praised the president for what he considers a record of national and international achievement.
Among the merits attributed to Trump, the resolution highlights his influence in the passage of the “Great and Beautiful Act.”
They refer to a tax reform package pushed through Congress this year that extends tax cuts and spending limits that benefit, according to supporters, small businesses and conservative sectors.
His foreign policies are also mentioned, such as the sanctions imposed on the governments of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, pointed out by the mayor as actions that “defend democracy and the rule of law”.
Criticism for possible tourism and community impact
Although the motion was celebrated by some residents and supporters of the president who attended the session with red caps and campaign flags, citizen opposition was notable.
Dozens of neighbors demonstrated during the council’s public meeting to express their disagreement, mainly because they consider that the change politicizes public space and could have economic consequences.
“It’s bound to cause people who would otherwise come here to spend their time and money to decide to go elsewhere just because of the divisive nature of the name,” resident Patrick Ferguson warned during his remarks.
Linda Thompson, another Lauderdale-by-the-Sea resident, questioned the decision, saying it goes against the “family-friendly vibe” that defines the city.
“When people are planning their vacations, I think the last thing they want to find is political controversy in the streets,” he said.
Florida, Trump’s symbolic bastion
With this decision, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea joins other locations in Florida that have already paid similar tributes to the current president.
In Palm Beach, home of the private Mar-a-Lago club, the county in July approved the renaming of a major thoroughfare as President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.
In Hialeah, another city with a large Hispanic population, President Donald J. Trump Avenue was introduced in 2023, consolidating local support for the president.
For now, the sign with the new name has not yet been placed, but the change has been officially approved and is expected to be implemented in the coming weeks.
Cuando las personas están planeando sus vacaciones, pienso que lo último que quieren encontrar es una controversia política en las calles
Linda Thompson, residente de Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
