On Sunday, July 20, 2025, Donald Trump voiced his support for the Washington Commanders and the Cleveland Guardians to revert to their former team names. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that the "Washington 'Whatevers' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team" and that "there is a big clamoring for this". He also addressed the Cleveland Guardians, formerly known as the Cleveland Indians, stating that the "great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen" and that their "heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them". He finished his statement by saying "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!!!".
The Washington Redskins changed their name to the Washington Football Team in 2020 before becoming the Commanders in 2022. The Cleveland Indians became the Cleveland Guardians after the 2021 season. Both name changes came after criticism that the names were offensive to Native Americans.
The Washington Redskins name controversy dates back to the 1960s, when the name "Redskins" began to draw criticism from Native American groups and individuals. This issue gained widespread public attention in the 1990s. "Redskin" is considered a racial slur for Native Americans in the United States and First Nations in Canada. After years of defending the name, the team responded to economic pressure and retired the name and logo in 2020 amidst the George Floyd protests.
Similarly, the Cleveland Indians name and logo were the subject of controversy. In July 2020, the team announced they would review the name. On July 23, 2021, the team announced that the new name would be the Cleveland Guardians starting in 2022.
Despite the name changes, some people have continued to push for the old names to return. Senator Steve Daines has been battling to revive the old logo for the Washington Commanders, and some fans have called on Donald Trump to order the team's name to be changed back once he is back in the White House.
However, shortly after Donald Trump's statement, Guardians president Chris Antonetti said that the team has had the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years and is excited about the future. Also, Commanders owner Josh Harris stated in April that there are no plans to change the team's name, even with the prospect of building a new stadium.