SOURCE: https://www.newpelican.com/articles/lauderdale-by-the-sea-commission-votes-to-add-president-trumps-name-to-street-sign/
TITLE: Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Commission votes to add President Trump’s name to street sign
RETRIEVED: 2026-09-22, unaltered article text from the published page

Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Commission votes to add President Trump’s name to street sign
At last night’s meeting, the Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Commission voted 3-2 to add President Trump’s name to the street sign for Sea Grape Drive. [Michael d’Oliveira/New Pelican]
By John Hayden | New Pelican Writer
LBTS – Passions ran high, emotions were raw, and voices were loud. Hundreds packed the town commission chambers and the crowd overflowed to the patio outside Jarvis Hall to discuss adding President Donald Trump’s name to the Sea Grape Drive street sign.
More than 70 people were given up to two minutes each to speak and most spoke passionately.
Speakers were against the idea by about three-to-one. However, in the end the motion passed by a 3-2 vote, with its sponsor, Commissioner Richard DeNapoli, Mayor Edmund Malkoon, and Commissioner Theo Poulopoulos voting for the change. The sign will be at the intersection of Sea Grape and Commercial Boulevard, near Broward County Republican headquarters.
Speakers in favor cited Trump as president and cited other cities, including those in South Florida, having named streets after him, and parity, often citing Barack Obama Boulevard in West Park in Broward County.
“Nearly every U.S. president has a street in Broward. As Florida’s only president, it is only fair and fitting that President Trump be recognized here as well.“
Those opposed cited Trump’s myriad felony convictions, his divisiveness, and his history of sexual assault. An Air Force veteran said, “He is an individual who has been found liable for sexually abusing a woman and actively blocking the release of the Epstein files and preventing women from getting justice and transparency. If that name on that street causes one victim of sexual assault to be retraumatized, it has no business being in our community.”
One woman told her story of being a sexual assault victim and said seeing the sign would be “triggering” for her.
A member of the Broward GOP said the renaming could lead to a visit by Trump and that he could help in the process of getting Anglin’s Pier reopened. Another person equated that to being “a bribe.”
Click here to see video of some of the meeting.
Others worried it will impact tourism and businesses in an already stressful and uncertain economic environment. Some suggested this be put to a referendum. Still more lamented the loss of the town’s nominally non-partisan vibe.
The commission chamber was rife with cheers and jeers, applause and boos after nearly every speaker. Malkoon stopped proceedings several times to implore civility from the crowd, including those outside in the overflow area, and directed the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) to warn them or have them leave.
Security was much tighter than regular meetings. Three BSO deputies were by the front door using a magnetic wand and inspecting purses. Nearly all other bags were prohibited. When asked why, one deputy said, “Because it’s a political meeting.”
Division on the dais
DeNapoli, a Broward GOP committeeman, formally introduced his measure, saying he consulted with the White House and Trump’s team to learn how the sign should read. He also held up a picture of the Obama street sign in West Park and called for equality.
“President Trump is the president and he represents all Americans,” he said to a vocally skeptical audience.
Poulopoulos, a registered Republican, quickly seconded the motion, lamented the tone of discourse, and said, “This is not a partisan issue. This is not a divisive issue. I can’t believe, quite frankly, it got this kind of response. What we’re doing here is recognizing Donald Trump’s patriotism.”
He, along with others on the dais, each received hundreds of emails and dozens of phone calls on the topic.
Commissioner John Graziano, a registered Republican, took a different view. He questioned the need for this and, essentially, called it unnecessary and ultimately voted no.
Vice Mayor Randy Strauss, a registered Democrat, made an impassioned plea against the co-naming while recognizing the votes were against him. “This proposal, at least in my opinion, has gone over like a turd in a punchbowl. If you were trying to be divisive then you hit a home run.”
He went on to counter DeNapoli’s statement that it’s “just one sign,” saying, “I think everyone would be horrified with the suggestion that just one Nazi swastika wouldn’t make a difference. Signs are important, whether it’s one sign or a hundred signs.”
DeNapoli rolled his eyes and moments later Malkoon, a registered Republican, responded. “When you compare a president’s sign and honorarium to a swastika, that’s offensive to me and it’s offensive to many other residents of the town.”
Shortly thereafter, the vote was taken. Several procedural, inter-agency steps must be taken to change the sign and no timetable was given.
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