Trump Urges Washington, Cleveland Teams to Restore Former Names

President Donald Trump has publicly urged the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians to revert to their former names, the Redskins and Indians, respectively, citing strong support and claiming that the heritage of Native Americans is being undermined. Trump warned he might block a new stadium deal for the Washington football team if they do not restore the Redskins name, arguing the team would be more valuable with the original name. The Washington team changed its name from Redskins in 2020 amid a national reckoning on racial justice and rebranded as the Commanders in 2022, while Cleveland dropped the Indians name in 2021, adopting the Guardians to reflect local pride and resilience. Both teams' current owners, Josh Harris for Washington and Paul Dolan for Cleveland, have stated there are no plans to revisit the name changes, emphasizing the opportunity to build their brands under the new identities. The name changes have been part of broader national discussions addressing the use of Native American names and imagery in sports, with mixed reactions from fans and communities. Despite Trump's pressure, team officials and local authorities appear committed to maintaining the new names as part of ongoing efforts to respect cultural sensitivities.