Commanders, Guardians name changes were years in the making: Timeline of key events
Trump said in a social media post on July 20 that the Guardians and the Commanders, each playing their fourth season under their new names in 2025, should revert back to their old 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. Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen," Trump's post on Truth Social said.
"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!!!" Trump concluded.
Later Sunday afternoon, July 20, Trump threatened to restrict the Commanders from building on the old RFK Stadium site if the franchise doesn't change its name.
"I may put a restriction on them that if they don't change the name back to the original 'Washington (name),' and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, 'Washington Commanders,' I won't make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington," Trump posted.
The president's most recent comments come after he previously said on social media in October 2013 that the president should not be telling the Redskins to change their name, because our country has "far bigger problems."
Here's a timeline of each franchise's name changes.
Timeline of Washington Commanders name change
Here's a timeline of key events in the evolution of the Washington Redskins to the Washington Commanders.
Timeline of Cleveland Guardians name change
Here's a timeline of key events in the evolution of the Cleveland Indians to the Cleveland Guardians.
In a meeting with reporters Sunday, July 20, Guardians' president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said that he was unaware of Trump's statements prior to the meeting and that changing the name back to the "Indians" was "not something [he has been] tracking or [has] been paying a lot of attention to."
"We've gotten the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future," said Antonetti.
Antonetti did not provide any indication that the team plans on reverting to its former name.
Contributing: Jon Hoefling, Nate Davis & Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.
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