Overview

• On July 20, President Trump demanded the Washington Commanders restore the “Redskins” name and the Cleveland Guardians revert to “Indians,” warning he would block a new stadium agreement in Washington D.C. otherwise.
• Owner Josh Harris and Guardians president Chris Antonetti have reaffirmed that neither team plans to change its current name.
• The January transfer of RFK Stadium land from the federal government to Washington D.C. enabled a planned $3.7 billion arena project now threatened by Trump’s conditions.
• White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt emphasized that Trump “meant it seriously,” linking his support for the stadium to the teams’ renaming.
• Both franchises adopted their current names in 2022 following years of criticism from indigenous groups over racially insensitive former monikers.