Donald Trump has called for Washington’s NFL team and the Cleveland Guardians to revert to their former names, but the franchises and their fans have largely moved on. In a social media post on Sunday, the US president argued that reclaiming the names would respect Native Americans, claiming they ‘want this to happen’. The Commanders dropped their previous name in 2020 and the Guardians changed from the Indians in 2022.
Both teams have dismissed the suggestion. The Guardians swiftly ruled out returning to ‘Indians’, while the Commanders are unlikely to comply. Trump has hinted that he could block the team’s planned move from suburban Maryland back to Washington DC if they do not revert, but legal hurdles may prevent this. The site for a new stadium, the decaying RFK Stadium, was transferred from the federal government to the DC government under Joe Biden, limiting Trump’s influence.
Trump’s intervention is seen by many as a distraction tactic. He has previously targeted sports teams and athletes on issues such as national anthem protests. The Commanders, now under new ownership after Dan Snyder sold the team, made the conference championship last season for the first time since 1991. The Guardians have been competitive but have not won a World Series since 1948.
