The Washington Commanders are entering the 2025 campaign with some serious expectations. That’s typically what happens after you make a run to the NFC Championship Game, which is what they did last season. However, ahead of the new season, President of the United States Donald Trump had a unique request for the team.
Given Washington’s location and their desire to build a new stadium in the near future, they have Trump and the White House’s attention. There’s one thing Trump isn’t a fan of, though, when it comes to the team, and it’s the fact that they retired their longtime team name, Redskins, a few years ago. On Sunday, Trump made it clear he wants the franchise to restore its old team name.
Donald Trump Wants Commanders to Switch Name Back to Redskins
From the franchise’s inception back in 1937 to 2019, Washington’s team name was the Redskins. However, some folks began to worry that the Redskins moniker was offensive to Native Americans, as the word is considered a racial slur that has a history of being used to dehumanize certain Native American groups.
As a result, Washington initially changed their name to the Washington Football Team for two seasons while it worked on coming up with a new team name and logo. On Feb. 2, 2022, the team eventually announced that they would become the Washington Commanders, unveiling a new logo and uniforms to go along with their rebrand.
Since returning to the White House earlier this year, Trump has made it clear on several occasions that he believes Washington should return to their longtime Redskins nickname, which is notable considering how the franchise is leaning on the White House for support when it comes to its new stadium plans. On Sunday, Trump sent his strongest message to Washington in a post on his social media app, Truth Social.
“The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team,” Trump said in his post. “There is a big clamoring for this. Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past. Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen.”
“Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!”
Will Commanders Change Their Team Name Back to Redskins?
GettyUS President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 7, 2025.
To this point, the Commanders’ brass has shown no interest in changing their team name again, but will that change after this strong message from Trump? At first glance, it may seem like an easy ‘no,’ but their work with the White House on their ongoing stadium plans adds a unique wrinkle to the situation that could influence their decision.
From a football perspective, Washington is turning its attention towards training camp, although star wide receiver Terry McLaurin’s contract saga continues to dominate headlines. With veterans set to report on Tuesday, the Commanders will be back in action soon, although the debate over their team name will certainly continue to capture the attention of fans.
