Trump tells sports teams to change their names back: ‘GET IT DONE!!!’


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Summary

Trump's statements

President Donald Trump used social media on July 20 to call for sports teams such as the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians to revert to their original names. Trump claimed, "Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them."

Native American family involvement

The family of Blackfeet chief John Two Guns White Calf, who was used as the face of the Redskins for nearly 50 years, reportedly is working with Republican lawmakers to reinstate their ancestor's image on the NFL team. The team has stated it is in conversations with the family about ways to honor him.

Team ownership response

According to Fox News, 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. Harris remarked that "the Commanders’ name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building."


Full story

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!!!”

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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.”

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Why this story matters

Debates over renaming professional sports teams highlight ongoing national discussions about cultural representation, historical sensitivity and community identity.

Team name changes

Changes to the names of teams like the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians reflect efforts to address long-standing concerns about offensive or insensitive cultural representations.

Cultural representation

The controversy centers on whose voices and perspectives are prioritized in decisions about team names, with President Donald Trump claiming "our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen," while the teams point to a broader context of honoring community requests to change.

Political and community influence

Political figures and community members, including the family of John Two Guns White Calf and prominent lawmakers, are actively engaging in the debate by advocating for or against returning to former team names, illustrating how these decisions often involve broader social and political considerations.

SAN provides
Unbiased. Straight Facts.

Don’t just take our word for it.


Certified balanced reporting

According to media bias experts at AllSides

AllSides Certified Balanced May 2025

Transparent and credible

Awarded a perfect reliability rating from NewsGuard

100/100

Welcome back to trustworthy journalism.

Find out more

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