Trump floats requiring Washington Commanders to change name back to Redskins for new stadium deal

President Donald Trump on Sunday called on the Washington Commanders owners to return to their Redskins name and floated linking the change to the new stadium deal. 

The team recently announced a new stadium to be built on the shuttered RFK Stadium site.

"The Washington 'Whatever’s' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this. Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past. Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen," Trump wrote on Sunday on Truth Social. 

"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!!!" he added.

In April, the owner of the team, Josh Harris, said the Redskins name would not come back with the new stadium.

Trump signaled on Sunday that the stadium deal could be tied to the team name. 

"I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original 'Washington Redskins,' and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, 'Washington Commanders,' I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington," he wrote.

"The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone," he added.

Trump called for the Cleveland Guardians to do the same. 

"The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change. What he doesn’t understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election," Trump wrote. "Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)."