In a recent statement, former President Donald Trump has threatened to impede a new stadium deal for Washington's NFL team, the Commanders, unless the team reverts to its former name, the Redskins. This name was retired in 2020 due to its offensive nature towards Native Americans, following widespread debates on cultural sensitivity and racial justice.
On the same occasion, Trump expressed his desire for Cleveland's Major League Baseball team, now known as the Guardians, to return to its former name, the Indians, reflecting a belief that there is considerable public support for such a change. Both the Commanders and Guardians have maintained their current names since the 2022 seasons and have confirmed no intentions of reverting to their previous names.
As Trump asserted, he believes that the Washington football team would significantly increase in value if it returned to the Redskins name. In his statements on social media, he indicated that he might impose a condition on the stadium deal: if the Commanders did not revert to the "original Washington Redskins" name, he would withhold financial support for their new stadium project. The proposed location for this new facility is the former RFK Stadium site, where the franchise had a long history of play.
This recent move by Trump appears to align with his agenda of reversing the changes that emerged from the national discourse surrounding race and cultural issues in recent years. The Commanders had, in 2020, stated their intention to drop the Redskins name, accompanied by a change in logo as part of a nationwide reevaluation of names and symbols regarded as racially insensitive.
In early 2023, Josh Harris, who acquired the Commanders from former owner Dan Snyder, reaffirmed the decision to retain the current team name and dismissed any renewed interest in the Redskins identity. The team did not respond to Trump's latest comments regarding the name change. Historically, the Washington team was established as the Redskins in 1933 in Boston before relocating to Washington, D.C., in 1937.
Trump also targeted the Cleveland Guardians, particularly criticizing the team’s ownership under Matt Dolan, whom he claims has suffered electoral defeats partly due to the name change. Trump suggested that returning to the name Indians could potentially revive Dolan's political fortunes. Dolan, who previously sought a political role in the U.S. Senate, no longer plays a role in the team’s operations, having stepped down from his contributions to the franchise's charitable endeavors in 2016.
As events continue to unfold, Chris Antonetti, the president of baseball operations for the Guardians, has made it clear that there are no plans to reconsider the team's name. He mentioned the organization's commitment to building a brand as the Guardians over the past few years and expressed excitement about its future.
The Cleveland baseball team made headlines in December 2020 when it announced it would abandon the Indians name. The official change to Guardians was made in July 2021, coinciding with the phased-out use of the "Chief Wahoo" logo, which had been a source of contention due to its racially insensitive implications.
Trump’s recent comments on both the Washington and Cleveland teams highlight the ongoing national debate over sports names and logos that echo the cultural narratives around race and identity in America. Both the Commanders and Guardians reflect the changing landscape of professional sports imagery as organizations grapple with the implications of these names within the broader societal context.
