Trump files lawsuit in south Florida, asks airport to quiet down and stop planned expansion

Trump sues Palm Beach County, airport over noise

MIAMI — Donald Trump is suing a south Florida county and its airport to quiet down.

A lawsuit filed Monday in Palm Beach County Circuit Court is the latest legal action by Trump in a decades-old disagreement over noise control at Palm Beach International Airport, which is near Trump’s ritzy Mar-a-Lago club. Trump has a home at the club, which is open only to members and invited guests.

Assistant County Attorney Andrew McMahon declined to comment on pending litigation. The lawsuit also names the airport’s director, Bruce Pelly, who did not immediately return a phone call Tuesday left by the Associated Press.

The county failed to assess noise and associated pollution from jet engines that has particular impact on Mar-a-Lago — a National Historic Landmark, the lawsuit said. It asks to block the airport’s planned runway expansion, which aims straight at Trump’s home.

Trump was part of a group that founded the Good Neighbor Council for Aircraft Noise Control, which has fought to keep noisy planes away from the area.

A 1995 Trump lawsuit that stemmed from the same issues was settled out of court. Although the expansion plans are on hold, Trump said “it’s simmering in the background and it’s absolutely insane” to spend billions of dollars on this project.

“I am really doing this to protect other people in Palm Beach in addition to Mar-a-Lago,” Trump said.