Trump threatens Washington Commanders over franchise name
President Trump is demanding the Washington Commanders revert to their original name and threatening stadium plans if they don’t comply.
As Washington Commanders veterans reported to training camp Tuesday for the formal start of the 2025 season, general manager Adam Peters said President Donald Trump recently weighing in on the team’s name and quest to build a new stadium in Washington D.C. doesn’t impact the team at all.
As the D.C. City Council waits to vote on the agreed-upon proposal between Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Commanders, Trump has threatened to put a «restriction» on the move. Congress formally gave the local D.C. government control of the land where RFK Stadium sits earlier this year.
The team changed its name in 2020 because the former nickname was considered racist and offensive toward Native Americans before corporate sponsors threatened to pull funding; the NFL and former team owner Dan Syder, who once told USA TODAY the team would «NEVER» change its name, had no choice.
Washington became the Commanders in 2022 after two seasons as the «Washington Football Team.»
Head coach Dan Quinn received backlash last year for wearing a shirt that referenced the former logo. Player alumni and fans are fond of the former name, but the current front office and players have embraced the «Commanders» moniker.
