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That was just the beginning.
A few hours later, Trump doubled down — and this time, he floated the idea of making the team’s future stadium contingent on bringing back the Redskins identity.
“My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way,” he wrote. “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. The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone.”
In other words: no Redskins, no stadium.
This latest announcement comes as the Commanders are deep in negotiations to stay in the nation’s capital — hoping to build their future home on the site of the old RFK Stadium. But with Trump flexing his political muscle, the team’s plans may now hinge on something far more symbolic than bricks and mortar.
Trump didn’t stop with Washington. He also set his sights on Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians — formerly the Indians — torching another franchise for erasing its historic identity.
“Cleveland should do the same with the Cleveland Indians,” Trump said. “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)!”
So far, the teams aren’t budging. Guardians president Chris Antonetti responded with a firm no.
“Obviously it’s a decision we’ve made and we’ve gotten the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future,” he told Cleveland.com.
As for the Commanders, team owner Josh Harris has indicated the name isn’t going anywhere.
“The Commanders’ name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building,” Harris told Fox News’ Bret Baier. “So, the people that certain types of players that are tough, that love football, are delegated Commanders and Jayden [Daniels], for example, is a Commander, and they’re ranked… we’re kind of moving forward with the Commanders name, excited about that, and not looking back.”
Still, Trump’s threat isn’t idle chatter. While D.C. now controls the old RFK Stadium site thanks to the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act signed by President Biden, Trump has hinted he could exert federal leverage if the city can’t get the deal across the finish line.
Republican lawmakers are backing Trump’s stance. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) emphasized that restoring the Redskins name would be a powerful gesture honoring Native American heritage — not an insult to it.
“We were calling out leaders in case of really, woke gone wrong,” Daines said. “This is honoring a Blackfeet chief who was born in Montana… The Blackfeet tribe of Montana, their current chairman and tribal council signed a letter in strong support to bring the logo back. It honors Indian Country.”
With stadium negotiations heating up and Trump positioning himself as a cultural gatekeeper, the battle over names is now more than a PR stunt — it’s a political flashpoint that could redefine the future of two major sports franchises.
If Trump gets his way, the Redskins might soon be riding again.
