President Donald Trump took to social media on Sunday, July 20 to pressure team owners to revert to their original names. “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,” Trump wrote.
Back in 2022, the Washington Redskins became the Commanders. In 2020, the Cleveland Indians became the Guardians. They dropped “Chief Wahoo” a few years prior. Both teams changed their names due to criticism that the names were offensive to Native Americans.
Trump said it’s time to change them back.
“Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them,” Trump said. “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 family of the Blackfeet chief, John Two Guns White Calf, was the face of the Redskins for nearly 50 years. His family says he was the “most famous and most photographed” Native American in history.
Last September, his descendants, now living on a reservation in Montana, reported they are working with Republican lawmakers to reinstate their ancestor’s image on the NFL team. The team said at the time that it was talking to the family about ways to honor their family member.
Commanders owner Josh Harris told Fox News back in April he has no plans to change the name. Harris said the name stays, even with plans to build a new stadium in Washington, D.C.
“The Commanders’ name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building,” Harris said, “So, the people that certain types of players that are tough, that love football, are delegated Commanders and Jayden [Daniels], for example, is a Commander, and they’re ranked.”
