Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
Former President Donald Trump reignited controversy over sports team branding Sunday, calling on the Washington Commanders to revert to their former name—the Washington Redskins—and threatening to block the team’s proposed return to a new stadium in the District of Columbia unless they comply.
“The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.
He later added, “I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back… I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington.”
The Commanders, formerly known as the Redskins, dropped the name in 2020 following years of protests from Native American organizations and corporate pressure from major sponsors like FedEx and Nike. The term “Redskins” is widely regarded as a slur, though some Native American groups continue to support its usage.
Trump’s remarks come as the team hopes to construct a new stadium on the site of the now-defunct RFK Stadium in the nation’s capital. Although Congress approved a 99-year lease transferring control of the federal land to Washington, D.C., the city council must still approve development plans.
“I wouldn’t have changed the name,” Trump told reporters earlier this month. “It doesn’t have the same ring to me… But winning can make everything sound good.”
Trump’s remarks quickly sparked backlash from critics who view the name change as a necessary step toward greater cultural sensitivity and inclusivity in professional sports.
“It’s a blatant attempt to score political points by undermining decades of progress,” said Crystal Echo Hawk, founder of IllumiNative, a Native-led advocacy group. “We’ve moved beyond honoring harmful caricatures.”
NFL and Commanders officials have not publicly responded to Trump’s comments. However, Chris Antonetti, the Cleveland Guardians’ president of baseball operations, reiterated the importance of embracing change. “It’s a decision we made and we’ve gotten the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years.”
Trump also pushed for the Cleveland Guardians to revert to their old name, the Cleveland Indians. “MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN,” he declared online, asserting that “our great Indian people” want the change reversed.
Alumni support added fuel to the fire. Former Washington defensive lineman Jason Buck told TMZ over the weekend that he would “give anything” to meet with Trump about restoring the team’s original name.
But others see Trump’s sudden emphasis on team names as politically motivated. Rev. Al Sharpton criticized the former president’s rhetoric, calling it “a desperate ploy to distract from other controversies.”
Earlier this year, Trump also inserted himself into a similar issue at Massapequa High School in New York, directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to oppose a state policy banning Native American mascots.
Whether Trump’s stance will affect the Commanders’ stadium deal remains to be seen. As city officials weigh redevelopment plans, the former president’s intervention adds yet another layer of political complexity to what was already a contentious issue.
