Donald Trump is reportedly pressing for the new Washington Commanders stadium to be named after him, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions. The $3.7bn venue is planned for the RFK Stadium site in Washington, D.C., and is scheduled to open in 2030.
A senior White House official told ESPN that Trump has conveyed his wishes directly to a member of owner Josh Harris's group. “It’s what the president wants, and it will probably happen,” the official said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt added: “That would be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible.”
The Commanders declined to comment, but team officials say they have spent days preparing for Trump’s visit to Sunday’s home game against the Detroit Lions, where informal conversations about the stadium are expected. No formal talks have taken place.
Although the Commanders own the rights to sell a commercial stadium sponsorship, they cannot unilaterally name the venue after an individual. The land is controlled by the National Park Service, and the District of Columbia Council will lease the stadium to the team under legislation approved in September. “The team doesn’t have the authority,” said a source with direct knowledge of the process. “The city would be involved, and the Park Service would be involved.”
Those layers of approval give Trump significant leverage as president, overseeing federal agencies responsible for environmental and land-use approvals at the RFK site. “He can make it very difficult to get this stadium built unless people align with him on the name,” said one source. Trump is not seeking to buy naming rights but wants the stadium to carry his name as a tribute.
The broader RFK project is the largest economic development effort in Washington’s history, with the Commanders investing $2.7bn and the district contributing $1bn. Trump has previously waded into Commanders politics, threatening in July to block the stadium unless the team restored its former nickname, the Redskins. He is scheduled to attend Sunday’s game as Harris’s guest.
