President Donald Trump is threatening to hold up a new stadium deal for Washington’s NFL team unless they go back to their original name, the Redskins, which is considered offensive to Native Americans.
“The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team,” he wrote on Truth Social. “There is a big clamoring for this. Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past. Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!”
Josh Harris, whose group bought the Commanders from former owner Dan Snyder in 2023, said earlier this year the name was not going to change back.
Trump said that the Commanders would be “much more valuable” if they went back to their old name.
“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 said.
Trump also said Sunday that he wants Cleveland’s baseball team to revert to its former name, the Indians.
“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),” he wrote.
Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said there were no plans to change the name.
“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,” he said.
