By Hannah Parry
Associate News Editor
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President Donald Trump has demanded that the Washington Commanders return to its former name "immediately" in a Sunday morning Truth Social post.
Trump wrote that there's a "big clamoring" for the team to be renamed the "Washington Redskins Football Team." He also called for the Cleveland Guardians to revert its name back to the Cleveland Indians.
Newsweek has reached out to the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the Washington Commanders via email, and the Cleveland Guardians via phone, for comment on Sunday.
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Why It Matters
Trump's post on Sunday comes amid ongoing debate over the Commanders' identity, following years of fan backlash after the NFL retired its long-held name, the Washington Redskins, in 2020. The team officially rebranded as the Commanders in 2022 amid broader conversations about racial sensitivity and representation in professional sports toward Native Americans.
The issue of reverting to the "Redskins" name has divided fans, sponsors, and Native American organizations, with some saying it honors tradition, while others stress the name's discriminatory history.
What To Know
The Washington franchise played under the name "Redskins" for over 80 years until 2020, when mounting pressure from sponsors and advocacy groups led to its temporary rebranding as the Washington Football Team.
In 2022, the organization adopted the "Commanders" name under former owner Dan Snyder.
The following year, current owner Josh Harris took over and despite sections of the fanbase, including some Trump fans pushing for a change back, he has stated the Commanders brand is here to stay. Harris has pointed to the name's successful integration into the team's culture and recent successes on the field as some of the reasons why they should not revert. The Commanders have honored the franchise's past, however, such as using retro uniforms.
According to an April 2024 poll, conducted by The Washington Post and the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, 58 percent of fans expressed disapproval of the "Commanders" name, with only 16 percent of Commanders fans saying the team should keep its current name. The poll surveyed 1,683 adult residents in the Washington, D.C., area, including 1,295 sports fans and 640 Commanders fans, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage point.
Around the same time as the Commanders' name change, and after more than a century as the Cleveland Indians, the team decided to change its name to the Cleveland Guardians following years of public pressure and cultural reassessment, particularly regarding the offensiveness of Native American mascots and names.
"Guardians" was chosen in 2021 to honor the iconic "Guardians of Traffic" statues on the Hope Memorial Bridge, symbolizing resilience and civic pride.
The rebranding process considered over 1,200 names, with significant community input. Cleveland's leadership aimed to reflect values of inclusivity and respect, moving away from stereotypes.
Although the shift drew mixed reactions, figures like Tom Hanks publicly supported the change. The name update also included a redesigned "Diamond C" cap logo and script uniform wordmark, tying modern branding to historical design elements and reinforcing a sense of continuity rooted in the city's identity.
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What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday: "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!!!"
Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris said in February at a press conference: "In this building, the name Commanders means something... The name represents toughness, great football skills, and strong teamwork. The name 'Commanders' is here to stay."
Actor Tom Hanks announced the Cleveland Guardians' name change in 2021 and said: "You see, there's always been Cleveland, that's the best part of our name. And now it's time to unite as one family, one community to build the next era for this team, and this city. To keep watch and guard what makes this game the greatest...Together, we are all the Cleveland Guardians."
What Happens Next?
Trump's demand and continued public debate may intensify scrutiny on the NFL, especially as the Washington Commanders maintains a strong on-field performance and fan engagement remains divided. Harris said the club will seek to honor its history, but the prospect of a full reversion to "Redskins" remains extremely unlikely.
The Guardians owner Paul Dolan has not publicly commented on the pressure to revert to their old name.
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