Trump Advocates for Name Changes of NFL and MLB Teams

On Sunday, former President Donald Trump urged the Washington Commanders and the Cleveland Guardians to revert to their old names—the Redskins and the Indians. He mentioned that this change is supported by the Native American community.

In a statement regarding the Truth Society, Trump expressed that the team name “Washington anything” should be changed back to the Washington Redskins, highlighting a significant call for this change. He also referenced the Cleveland Indians, recognizing them as one of the original baseball teams, and spoke to the pride and tradition associated with their former name.

Destruction: President Trump insists on bringing back the Washington Redskins name.

“Washington ‘Anything’ should soon return to the Washington Redskins football team,” he stated, adding the same sentiment applies to the Cleveland Indians.

The Washington NFL team transitioned from the Redskins to the Washington Football Team before finally adopting the Commanders name in 2020. A 2016 opinion survey by the Washington Post found that 90% of Native Americans surveyed were not offended by the Redskins name, as it included responses from over 500 self-identified Native American adults across the U.S.

This name change was largely influenced by public and corporate pressures aimed at eliminating names deemed offensive to Native Americans. Since then, both teams have remained loyal to their new branding.

Josh Harris, owner of the Commanders, stated in early 2025 that the organization embraces the Commanders name, which has resonated positively with fans. According to a recent survey from the Washington Post, support for the Commanders name has improved within the past year. Approval ratings went up from 34% to 50% among local residents, with about 61% of regional sports fans now identifying positively with the name, compared to 45% the previous year.

At this point, neither the Commanders nor the Guardians has publicly commented on Trump’s statements.