On Sunday, July 20, 2025, former U.S. President Donald Trump used his social media platform, Truth Social, to demand that the NFL’s Washington Commanders, and MLB’s Cleveland Guardians, revert to their former names. “The Washington ‘whatevers’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a massive outcry for this,” Trump wrote, claiming that “the great Native American people, in large numbers, want the names back.”
In addition, Donald Trump tied his support for the construction of the new stadium on the former RFK Stadium site to this demand: “I may not make the deal to get them a stadium in Washington” unless the team reclaims its original nickname.
The Commanders, purchased by Josh Harris in 2023, had previously stated that the name “Commanders” was here to stay. The name change dates back to 2020, when the franchise dropped the term “Redskins” due to its offensive connotations toward Indigenous communities. In 2022, the team officially adopted the name “Commanders” after playing two seasons as the “Washington Football Team.” Similarly, the Guardians dropped the name “Indians” in 2021 for comparable reasons.
Could Trump actually block the stadium construction?
In theory, yes. Although the land was already transferred to the D.C. government through a law signed in January, Trump claimed he would place “a restriction” on the deal if his demands are not met. However, both Josh Harris and D.C. officials, including the mayor and city council, are moving forward with the project, which is still pending final approval.
