Trump ramps up pressure on Commanders, Guardians team owners to change nicknames

President Donald Trump made a "controversial" statement about the NFL, saying that he wouldn't have changed Washington's name from Redskins to Commanders.

President Donald Trump implored the owners of the NFL’s Washington Commanders and MLB’s Cleveland Guardians to revert to the organizations’ old nicknames in a social media post.

Daniel Snyder changed Washington’s team name from the Washington Redskins to the Washington Football Team before the start of the 2020 season amid a summer of racial tensions. The team eventually became the Washington Commanders, and Snyder sold the team to Josh Harris.

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Indians designated hitter Jim Thome waves to fans before a game against the Oakland Athletics at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Aug. 30, 2011. (Eric P. Mull-USA Today Sports)

In July 2021, team owner Paul Dolan announced the Cleveland Indians would become the Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland had been known as the Indians since 1915. Dolan previously said the decision to explore the name change came from "an awakening or epiphany" after the death of George Floyd.

Regardless, the push to keep Native American team names has been strong, particularly with the Commanders’ organization. Trump already expressed his belief that the Commanders made a mistake when they changed the name from the Redskins.

"The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. "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. Their heritage and prestige