Donald Trump is making waves in the sports world after threatening to derail plans for a new Washington Commanders stadium unless the team changes its name back to the “Washington Redskins.”
The Commanders, who play in Maryland, are in talks to return to Washington, D.C., with a new stadium project on federally owned land. But Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, said the team should abandon the “Commanders” name, calling it “ridiculous,” and warned he may block the stadium deal unless the name “Redskins” returns.
“The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should immediately change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this,” Trump wrote. He also targeted Major League Baseball, demanding the Cleveland Guardians revert to their old “Indians” name, claiming “our great Indian people” want it—without citing evidence.
The Commanders dropped the “Redskins” name in 2020 following years of backlash over its derogatory nature toward Indigenous communities. The Cleveland Indians announced their rebrand to the Guardians in 2021 for similar reasons. Both name changes were hailed as progress by Native groups and civil rights advocates.
Trump’s stance comes as the D.C. Council considers a multibillion-dollar plan to redevelop the RFK Stadium site for the Commanders. Congress transferred the property to city control last year, with President Biden signing the bill into law. Now, Trump is suggesting he could use his influence to block the project if the team doesn’t comply.
