Tennessee officials joined members of President Donald Trump’s family on Wednesday to officially rename the Interstate 40 bridge over the French Broad River as the President Donald J. Trump Bridge, celebrating the dedication with a roadside ceremony in East Tennessee.
The event brought together state and federal leaders, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said the president deserved the honor for his commitment to the American people.
“There is no one more deserving of it than Donald J. Trump,” Bessent said. “From this day forward, every driver that encounters this bridge will see it bears his name because he never stopped fighting for the people who travel on it.”
Bessent: Trump Wanted to Attend
Bessent told attendees he had traveled home with Trump after the NATO summit in Turkey and said the president wished he could have attended the ceremony himself.
Representing the president were his sister, Elizabeth Trump, and his sister-in-law, Ann Marie Trump, who distributed “45-47” hats from the White House gift shop to attendees.
New highway signs bearing the bridge’s new name were unveiled on both sides of the crossing.
Officials Praise Trump’s Record
Speakers used the dedication to highlight the administration’s infrastructure efforts and other initiatives.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) pointed to the bridge reconstruction project and the region’s recovery from Hurricane Helene.
“One of the reasons infrastructure is so important, as we know, President Donald J. Trump wants to keep America moving, keep America going, get transportation moving and this project is a part of that,” Blackburn said.
She thanked state and federal transportation officials before adding, “We are grateful as we remember that less than two years ago, this region was devastated by Hurricane Helene. Now we are starting to see progress, and we thank President Trump.”
The Tennessee Department of Transportation is currently rebuilding the bridge, with construction expected to be completed by September 2029.
Bessent also highlighted the administration’s recently launched Trump Accounts program, which provides eligible children with a federally funded $1,000 investment account at birth.
“Don’t listen to the Democrats when they say this is a program for the rich. Eighty-six percent of the enrollees are from families that make less than $200,000. That record of achievement is why we’re gathered here today and why the people of Tennessee have bestowed this great honor.”
Political Overtones Ahead of Tennessee Primary
The ceremony also took on a political tone ahead of Tennessee’s Aug. 6 Republican gubernatorial primary.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) introduced Blackburn by predicting she would become Tennessee’s next governor, publicly endorsing her campaign to succeed term-limited Gov. Bill Lee.
Blackburn faces state Rep. Monty Fritts and Rep. John Rose in the Republican primary but did not address her gubernatorial campaign during her remarks, instead focusing on honoring the president.
Similar Honor in Florida
The Tennessee ceremony coincided with another event honoring Trump elsewhere in the country.
While officials gathered in Dandridge, leaders in Florida hosted a separate ceremony in Palm Beach to officially rename Palm Beach International Airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport, marking another high-profile tribute to the president.
READ NEXT: Trump Gives Up On Kennedy Center After Judge Blocks Renaming Push
