Scott Bessent unveils 'President Donald J Trump Bridge' in Tennessee after Florida airport tribute

DOUGLAS, TN: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent traveled to Dandridge, Tennessee, on Thursday, July 9, to help unveil the 'President Donald J. Trump Bridge,' a renamed Interstate 40 span over Douglas Lake in eastern Tennessee, marking the latest public landmark dedicated to President Donald Trump.

Bessent spoke at an unveiling ceremony in Tennessee, where the Legislature passed a law last year renaming multiple bridges and roads, including designating a bridge in Jefferson County as the 'President Donald J. Trump Bridge.'

Bridge dedication follows Trump airport renaming in Florida

"Interstate 40 begins on one coast and ends on another," Bessent said at the ceremony.

"It carries workers before dawn, families after dusk, and now, above the waters of Douglas Lake, the name of the president who puts them first."

He added, "There is no one more deserving of it than Donald J. Trump."

The bridge was previously known as the Francis Burnett Swann Memorial Bridge.

"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."

The Tennessee dedication came on the same day that Palm Beach International Airport, which serves the area surrounding Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, was officially renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport, creating a notable dual milestone for tributes to the sitting president within a single day.

The Tennessee Legislature moved to rename the I-40 bridge, which stands roughly 30 miles east of Knoxville, in 2025.

The same piece of legislation included a provision to rename a separate bridge over the Mississippi River 'Kings' Crossing,' in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., blues guitarist BB King and Elvis Presley.

Tennessee lawmakers and Trump family members attend ceremony

"I'm honored to be here on behalf of the Trump administration," Bessent said. "Trump, he told me on the plane home from Turkey that he wished he could be here."

Trump's sister Elizabeth and sister-in-law Ann Marie represented the president, who sent "45-47" hats from the White House gift shop to hand out to attendees.

New signs honoring the president were placed on either side of the bridge, which crosses the French Broad River in Dandridge with the Great Smoky Mountains in the background. It is adjacent to Douglas Lake.

"It was an honor to join the official unveiling of the President Donald J. Trump Bridge along Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee with @MarshaBlackburn, @timburchett, @RepFaison, and members of the Trump family, including Elizabeth and Ann Marie.".

They were joined by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Lt. Gov. Randy McNally and several state lawmakers.

State Rep. Jeremy Faison assured those in attendance that what was unveiled was a smaller replica of what the official permanent sign will look like once installed on the bridge.

"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 while thanking state and federal transportation officials.

At the ceremony, Bessent touted other programs that bear Trump's name, including Trump Accounts.