Trump Threatens to Block NFL Stadium Over Team Name, Urges Return to “Redskins” and “Indians”
President Trump said Sunday he may move to block the Washington Commanders’ proposed new stadium if the NFL team doesn’t revert to its former name, the Washington Redskins. He also called on Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians to bring back their old name, the Cleveland Indians.
Both teams changed their names following the nationwide reckoning over race and social justice in 2020, driven by the murder of George Floyd and long-standing activism from Native American groups who argued the original names were offensive.
The Washington Commanders have been lobbying the D.C. Council for approval to redevelop the RFK Stadium site an effort that could be complicated by Trump’s threat. According to Axios reporter Cuneyt Dil, the president could use his influence through federal commissions and executive power to disrupt or delay the project.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team.” He continued, “Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past.”
Trump also claimed, without offering evidence, that “our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen.”
Later in the day, Trump escalated the threat, writing, “I may put a restriction on the Commanders if they don’t change the name back. I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington.”
He also took a swipe at former Ohio state senator Matt Dolan, the son of the late Cleveland Guardians owner Larry Dolan, though AP reports Matt Dolan is no longer involved with the team.
In response, Guardians President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti said the team remains committed to its current identity. “I understand that there are very different perspectives on the decision we made a few years ago,” Antonetti said. “But it’s a decision we’ve made, and we’re excited about building the Guardians brand going forward.”
Meanwhile, Suzan Shown Harjo a prominent Native American advocate and citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes praised both teams for making the change. In a Facebook post, she encouraged the Commanders to “keep up the good work” and applauded the Guardians for shedding the “Chief Wahoo” logo and the “Indians” name, calling them part of a legacy of harmful stereotypes.
As Trump wades deeper into the debate over sports team names, his comments are likely to further polarize public opinion and could complicate future stadium negotiations in the nation’s capital.