President Donald Trump threatened to block the Washington Commanders attempt to build a new stadium in Columbia district, intensifying his dispute with the NFL franchise due to the decision to change the name of the team, which was once Redskins.
“I can impose a restriction so that if they do not change their names back to the original ‘Washington Redskins’ and get rid of the ridiculous name’ Washington Commanders,” Trump said in a social Truth post. “I won’t agree to build a stadium in Washington.”
Trump had already criticized the team’s decision to change his name, motivated by concerns that the old name was an insult to native Americans. On Sunday, he stated that there was a “great pressure” for the name to be reversed.
“Our great indigenous peoples, in large numbers, want this to happen,” wrote Trump. “Your inheritance and prestige are being systematically taken from them. The times are different from three or four years ago. We are a country of passion and common sense. Owners, do it !!!”
The Commanders did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump also criticized Cleveland Guardians, a team of Major League Baseball that changed the name of Cleveland Indians in 2021.
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The president has been trying to reverse other name changes made to be more sensitive racial or culturally.
Trump has limitations on what he can do regarding teams outside Washington, DC. But the Commanders plan to build a new stadium on land managed by the US National Parks Service. The RFK stadium, which was on this ground, was the team’s house for about three decades until 1996.
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