President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to obstruct a proposed stadium deal for the Washington Commanders unless the NFL franchise reverts to its previous name, the Redskins—a term long criticized as offensive to Native Americans. In a parallel demand, Trump called on Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians to restore their former name, the Indians, citing what he described as widespread public dissatisfaction with the changes.
“I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.
Trump claimed the franchise’s value would increase if it reinstated its old name, arguing that cultural sensitivity efforts have damaged team identity. Turning to Cleveland, Trump added, “The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change. What he doesn’t understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election. Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!”
Both teams formally adopted new names in recent years following intense public debates over racial imagery and Native American representation in sports branding. Washington dropped the Redskins name in 2020 amid a nationwide reckoning on race and announced its Commanders identity in 2022. Cleveland phased out its controversial “Chief Wahoo” logo in 2018 and rebranded as the Guardians in 2021.
Josh Harris, who led the group that purchased the Commanders in 2023, has consistently dismissed calls to revisit the team’s name. “The name was here to stay,” Harris said earlier this year, reaffirming his commitment to the Commanders brand. The team did not respond to inquiries about Trump’s latest remarks.
In Cleveland, Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti addressed the matter before Sunday’s game against the Oakland Athletics. “We understand there are different perspectives on the decision we made a few years ago, but obviously, it’s a decision we made. We’ve got the opportunity to build a brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future that’s in front of us,” Antonetti said.
The stadium proposal in Washington centers on redeveloping the site of the old RFK Stadium, where the team played for decades. Earlier this year, the D.C. government and the Commanders unveiled plans to construct a new facility there. In January, President Joe Biden signed legislation transferring control of the land from federal to local authorities, though Congress retains oversight of D.C.’s budget—potentially offering a point of leverage for Trump should he return to office.
The name changes have continued to stir sharp reactions across the political spectrum. Supporters argue the rebrands reflect overdue respect for Native communities, while critics—including Trump—contend they erase longstanding traditions. Trump’s stance is consistent with his broader push to roll back measures linked to the racial justice protests of 2020.
Polling has shown that roughly 90 percent of Native Americans are not offended by the Washington football team’s former name.
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