President Donald Trump urged the Washington Commanders and the Cleveland Guardians to revert to their former names in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
"The Washington "Whatever's" should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team," Trump said. "There is a big clamoring for this. Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past."
The Commanders, previously the Washington Football Team during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, dropped the Redskins moniker in 2020 after 87 years. The Cleveland Guardians changed their name from the Indians in 2021 after 106 years.
Both franchises changed their names and imagery amid pressure from Native American groups and others, who argued that the longstanding names were racially and culturally insensitive and perpetuated negative stereotypes about Native American culture.
"Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them," Trump continued. "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!!!"
In a later post, Trump also threatened to derail a deal for the Commanders to build a new stadium in Washington, D.C., if they didn't submit to the demand. The team currently plays its home games at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
"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 that ridiculous moniker "Washington Commanders," I won't make a deal for them to build a new Stadium in Washington," Trump said. "The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be exciting for everyone."
The Redskins used a burgundy helmet with the logo of a Native American chief, which was designed in 1972 by Walter "Blackie" Weltzel, a Blackfeet Tribal chairman and former president of the National Congress of American Indians. It was also modeled after the Buffalo nickel, which featured the profile of John "Two Guns" White Calf, a Blackfeet Chief.
The team has not yet responded to Trump's statement.
The Cleveland Indians used a logo of "Chief Wahoo" on their baseball caps and uniforms up until the 2018 season. The design, introduced by teenager Walter Goldbach in 1947 and used on the team's uniforms in 1948, depicted a caricature of a wide-smiling, hooked-nose, orange-skinned Native American.
The caricature varied slightly over the years, with the more familiar red-skinned and smaller-nose version appearing from 1951 until its retirement by the team.
In the latter post, Trump also criticized Matt Dolan, whom Trump falsely accused of owning the Cleveland Guardians. Dolan, who served in the Ohio Senate from 2017 to 2014, was partially involved in the team's front office until 2016.
He later made two unsuccessful bids for U.S. Senate in 2022 and 2024. The team's majority owner is Paul Dolan, Matt's brother.
"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," Trump said. What he doesn't understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an election."
Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations for the team, responded on Sunday to Trump's statement to return to the old name.
"I understand there are very different perspectives on the decision we made a few years ago, but it's a decision we made and we've gotten the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years and we're excited about the future that's in front of us," Antonetti said.
