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President Donald Trump ramped up the pressure on the Cleveland Guardians and the Washington Commanders to change their team names back to the Indians and Redskins, respectively, on Sunday.
Trump unleashed two social media posts imploring both teams to make the moves. While he threatened to put the Commanders’ RFK Stadium deal in the balance, he said changing the names back was “common sense.”
Ohio state Republican Rep. Brian Lorenz appeared to agree with the president.
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Oct 15, 2007; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians left fielder, #7, Kenny Lofton is congratulated by first baseman, #25, Ryan Garko after hitting a two-run home run in the 2nd inning against the Boston Red Sox during game 3 of the 2007 American League Championship Series at Jacobs Field. (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)
“You don’t mess with Chief Wahoo and expect Cleveland to forget,” he wrote in a post on X. “The Cleveland Indians weren’t just a team — they were summer nights, family memories, heartbreaks, and miracles.
“We didn’t change because fans asked — we changed because elites told us to. Time to bring back what made us us.”
Trump first wrote on Truth Social that there was a “big clamoring” for the Commanders to go back to being called the Redskins and the same with the Guardians.
“The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this,” he wrote. “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 is systematically being taken away from them. 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!!!”
A Cleveland Guardians fan holds up two Chief Wahoo foam fingers before the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on April 8, 2024 in Cleveland. (Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
Later in the day, he ratcheted up the pressure.
SCOTT TURNER, HUD SECRETARY AND EX-REDSKINS PLAYER, BACKS TRUMP’S PRESSURE ON COMMANDERS TO BRING BACK MONIKER
“My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way,” he added. “I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington. The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone.
“Cleveland should do the same with the Cleveland Indians. The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change,” Trump added. “What he doesn’t understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election. Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!”
While Matt Dolan owns a minority stake in the Guardians, it was Paul Dolan who announced the change in 2021.
Owner of the Washington Commanders team, Josh Harris, speaks at an event unveiling plans to host the 2027 NFL Draft in Washington, D.C., with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on May 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Annabelle Gordon for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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.
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Cleveland was nicknamed the Blues in 1902, then the Napoleons and the Naps until 1915 when the organization changed the name to the Indians. The team was known as the Indians through the 2021 season.
Guardians President Chris Antonetti responded to Trump’s pressure on Sunday afternoon. He said it wasn’t actually something the organization had on its mind.
The team told Fox News Digital they had no further comment.
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