In a recent development, President Donald Trump has taken to social media to express his disapproval of the Washington Commanders' recent name change, urging the team to revert to their original moniker, the Redskins.
In a more provocative move, Trump also hinted at the possibility of imposing restrictions on the Commanders' plans to construct a new stadium in Washington D.C., should they refuse to reconsider their name change.
According to Breitbart, Trump's comments on the matter have sparked considerable attention. "My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way," Trump stated on Truth Social.
He further threatened, "I may put a restriction on them that if they dont change the name back to the original 'Washington Redskins,' and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, 'Washington Commanders,' I wont make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington."
Trump's critique extends beyond the Washington Commanders, as he also urged the Cleveland Indians to reclaim their original name. He argued that the team's owner, Matt Dolan, who has lost three consecutive elections, might stand a better chance of winning if he reinstated the team's original name. Trump asserted, "Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!"
Earlier, Trump had expressed his desire for both teams to revert to their original names. "The Washington 'Whatevers' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team," he wrote, "There is a big clamoring for this."
He also added, "Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!"
The Washington Redskins, under the ownership of Daniel Snyder, decided to drop their 80-year-old name following the George Floyd riots in 2020. This decision was influenced by the late FedEx Founder and minority team owner, Fred Smith, who held the naming rights to the Redskins' home ground, FedEx Field. Smith had expressed his desire for a name change, leading to the team being known as the Washington Football Team for two years before adopting the name Commanders in 2022.
Despite the controversy surrounding the name change, the Commanders' owner, Josh Harris, has shown no signs of reverting to the original name. He has, however, embraced the team's history through uniform design. Harris stated, "The Commanders name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building."
He further explained, "So, the people that certain types of players that are tough, that love football, are delegated Commanders, and Jayden [Daniels], for example, is a Commander, and theyre ranked."
Harris also highlighted the significance of the Commanders' name in a city with a strong military presence. "And, you know, the business staff has gotten into it, and obviously, were in a military city here. Theres more military personnel than anywhere else, so were kind of moving forward with the Commanders name, excited about that, and not looking back." Despite the ongoing debate, it remains to be seen whether the Commanders and the Cleveland Indians will heed Trump's call and return to their original names.
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