• Trump threatens a stadium deal for the Washington Commanders contingent on changing back to their former name.
• Only 25% of Americans approve of Trump's demands regarding the team name.
• The Washington Commanders previously changed their name due to concerns over racism.
• Local politicians and fans are largely dismissive of Trump's comments.
• Trump suggested a similar name change for the Cleveland Guardians baseball team.

President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to the Washington Commanders football team, threatening to block the construction of a new stadium in Washington, D.C., unless the team reverts to its former name, the "Washington Redskins." Trump claimed there was a "big clamoring" for the change and suggested that reverting to the old name would make the team "much more valuable." This stance was shared via his social media platform on Sunday, where he also stated he would not facilitate the stadium deal if the name change did not occur, according to HuffPost and ABC News.

Trump's demands have been met with skepticism from politicians and fans, with D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson stating that locals are satisfied with the name Commanders and have not suggested a name change as a condition for the stadium deal. Furthermore, a poll revealed that only 25% of Americans approve of Trump’s threat, while 58% disapprove, indicating a significant divide in public sentiment regarding his intervention in sports matters, according to The Hill.

The team itself, which changed its name from the Redskins in 2020 amid criticism for its racist implications, has no plans to revert to the former name. Team Managing Partner Josh Harris emphasized that the focus remains on moving forward with the new stadium, which involves a $3.7 billion investment, the largest private investment in D.C. history, as noted by BBC and ABC News.

In addition to the Commanders’ situation, Trump has called for Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians to also change their name back to the Cleveland Indians, repeating his belief that it would positively impact team value and community perception. However, Guardians' team president Chris Antonetti stated they have no intention of altering the name again, emphasizing their commitment to the brand they have built since the change, according to HuffPost and BBC.