President Donald Trump is ramping up pressure on the Washington Commanders to revert to their former “Redskins” nickname — threatening to withhold support for a new stadium deal in the nation’s capital unless the team complies.
In a fiery Truth Social post on Sunday, July 20, President Trump demanded the NFL team “IMMEDIATELY” change its name back, calling the current “Commanders” moniker “ridiculous” and out of touch with fans.
“There is a big clamoring for this,” Trump wrote. “Likewise, the Cleveland Indians… Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is being stripped away.”
The president’s comments came as the Commanders remain in a stalemate with D.C. officials over a proposed $3.7 billion plan to renovate RFK Stadium — the team’s former home — and relocate from Landover, Maryland, back into the city.
Trump had previously signaled openness to helping the team finalize the deal, but on Monday he posted an ultimatum: “If they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, I won’t make a deal for them to build a stadium in Washington.”
The Commanders dropped the “Redskins” name in 2020 amid nationwide protests and conversations about racial justice. They temporarily operated as the Washington Football Team before adopting the Commanders identity in 2022.
Trump also took aim at Major League Baseball’s Cleveland franchise, which rebranded as the Guardians in 2021 after retiring its Native American imagery and “Chief Wahoo” mascot. Trump argued the name change hurt the team — and the Dolan family politically.
“The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change,” Trump claimed. “What he doesn’t understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!”
In reality, it is Paul Dolan, Matt’s brother, who serves as owner and CEO of the Cleveland Guardians. Paul Dolan has acknowledged the controversy around the rebrand, but defended the move as a moral and cultural correction.
“The old name fostered stereotypes about Native Americans and contributed to real harm,” he said in 2023. “Hate has to be stopped everywhere.”
Meanwhile, Washington Commanders managing partner Josh Harris confirmed in 2024 that the team would not revisit its old name.
“For obvious reasons, the old name can’t come back,” Harris said. “We’re focused on unifying the city and the fans behind the team.”
Despite Trump’s threat, the timeline for a stadium deal remains uncertain. Harris said 2030 is a “reasonable target” but stressed the project is mired in political hurdles, zoning challenges, and land-use negotiations.
Trump’s push to bring back controversial team names comes as he openly accuses media conglomerates and sports executives of political correctness and censorship. Last week, he praised CBS for canceling Stephen Colbert’s Late Show, and warned that Jimmy Kimmel’s program might be next.
His sports-related posts have since gone viral — especially among supporters who share his stance on traditional branding and cultural symbols.
