Latest news with #Redskins
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Donald Trump levels $5.7b threat to NFL team over name change
President Donald Trump could get in the way of plans for a swanky new Washington Commanders stadium. Trump is threatening to hold up the franchise's stadium deal if the team does not change its name back to the Redskins, which is considered offensive to Native Americans, the NY Post reports. '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,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social account in June. The Commanders, who currently play at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., are planning to build a $AUD5.75 billion home at the site of the old RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. 'The Washington 'Whatever's' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamouring for this,' Trump wrote. The team removed the Redskins moniker back in 2020 before rebranding in 2022 as the Commanders. Trump doubled down on his calls for the NFL team to change their name, along with MLB's Cleveland Guardians, when asked about it during a press conference on Friday (AEST). 'I love the Washington Redskins, I think they should do it,' he said. 'I told the mayor and I told people they should bring back the name, if they bring back the name you'll have a lot of excitement. 'The Cleveland Indians, how about that. It was an original franchise and what do they do they change their name. 'What's wrong with the word Indians? You know who is upset about it … the Indians are upset about it. They're upset about Redskins too. 'People want to see the Redskins and Indians want to see the Redskins back. I recommend it. The Washington Redskins, it's a fabled franchise and I don't even know what the hell their last name is. What're they called the Commanders or something? It's not a good name.' The Cleveland Guardians announced plans to ditch its old name, the Cleveland Indians, in late 2020 — after dropping the 'Chief Wahoo' logo years earlier. In July 2021, the Cleveland MLB team announced its new name would be the Cleveland Guardians, after having played under as the Indians since 1915. Despite Trump's repeated claims, both franchises have made it clear they don't plan on changing their names back.
Fox News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump rips Washington Commanders as 'not a good name,' again calls for return to Redskins' identity
President Donald Trump again took aim at the Washington Commanders for the franchise's infamous name change, this time during a White House event. During a ceremony for the signing of an executive order to reestablish the presidential physical fitness test, Trump addressed a question about his recent demands for the franchise to change its name back to the Redskins. "I don't even know what the hell their last name is," Trump said. "It's Commanders or something? Is it Commanders? Commanders, it's not a good name." Trump called the Redskins "fabled" and suggested the team "bring back the name." Trump has called for the Cleveland Guardians to change their name back to the Indians and did so again Thursday at the White House. "And, I mean, the Cleveland Indians. How about that? That was an original. Original franchise — 1903 or something, 1906. An original the Cleveland Indians, and what do they do? They change the name from Indians. "What's wrong with the word 'Indian?' You know who is upset about it? The Indians are upset about it. They're upset about Redskins too. People want the Redskins back, and the Indians want the Redskins back." Trump recently called for the teams to change their names back on social media and even suggested he might try to block funding for Washington's new $3.7 billion stadium project at the site of the old RFK Stadium. The project is in the design and negotiation phase, with groundbreaking planned for 2026 and an anticipated opening in 2030. The organization is working with the D.C. Council to finalize the deal.
New York Post
9 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Trump, Sweeney, and the Woke Mob Reporter Roundtable
Lydia Moynihan and Charlie Gasparino go full throttle on Trump's latest push to bring back the Redskins name—digging into how the president might strong-arm D.C. using federal land and old-school pressure tactics. Then, it's Sydney Sweeney versus the woke mob as her denim ad stirs up a bizarre Nazi-fueled TikTok frenzy. From crypto politicking on Capitol Hill to Burning Man's downfall among the tech elite, the duo doesn't hold back.
Fox News
a day ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump fears loom over Commanders execs over Redskins nickname pressure as stadium vote nears: report
Washington Commanders executives are reportedly afraid they will have to restore the Redskins nickname or possibly face President Donald Trump hampering their D.C. stadium deal in some way. The organization has recently come under fire from Trump for not restoring the name in a series of Truth Social posts earlier this month. The New York Post reported on Wednesday that team owners Josh Harris and David Blitz have warned business associates that the White House "does indeed have some leverage" over their plans to build a stadium on the old RFK Stadium site. The stadium is on federal land leased to the D.C. government for at least the next 99 years, the New York Post noted. The D.C. Council is set to vote on a revised bill that would allow the Commanders to build the stadium, chairman Phil Mendelson said last week. The $3.7 billion project would receive $1 billion in public funding a $2.7 billion from the organization itself. The New York Post reported that Trump may "use his control of the administrative state to extract concessions." A source warned to the outlet that Harris and Blitzer may have to "grovel before Trump relents" if they ultimately don't decide on changing the name. Fox News Digital reached out to the Commanders for comment. Trump put the pressure on the Commanders, and the Cleveland Guardians – calling both organizations out in two posts made on Truth Social. "My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way," Trump wrote on social media. "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." The president added that the Guardians should follow suit. "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)!" It was the second time in one day that he made his demands. "The Washington 'Whatever's' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday. "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!!!" Mendelson suggested to 106.7 The Fan in D.C. on the "Grant & Danny" show he would have "no problem" with a potential name change. "He suggested the past DC opposition of the team moving back into the city while named Redskins had more to do with Dan Snyder than the name," radio host Grant Paulsen wrote about Mendelson. "Suggested he would have no problem with DC welcoming the team back with the name Redskins now." Harris has been adamant about keeping the Commanders' name going. Hae said on Fox News Channel's "Special Report" in April that the team would not bring back the Redskins name 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 responded to Bret Baier's question about the Redskins name coming back as part of this new stadium deal. "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. "And, you know, the business staff has gotten into it, and obviously, we're in a military city here. There's more military personnel than anywhere else, so we're kind of moving forward with the Commanders name, excited about that, and not looking back."
New York Post
a day ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Why the Washington Commanders' owners are thinking hard about Trump's demand they restore the ‘Redskins' moniker
The owners of the NFL's Washington Commanders fear they will have to snub the woke mob and restore the original Redskins name – or risk President Trump throttling their deal for a new stadium, On The Money has learned. That, at least, is the word from insiders close to private equity titans Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who in addition to the Commanders own the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL's New Jersey Devils through their holding company, Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment. The buyout billionaires are facing heat to bring back the Redskins name – and its famed, feathered logo, too – after the commander-in-chief has repeatedly ripped the new nomenclature, recently referring to the franchise as the 'Washington Whatevers.' Advertisement 3 The billionaire owners of the Washington Commanders are facing pressure from President Trump to restore the original Redskins name Getty Images '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,' Trump posted last week. Since then, Harris and Blitzer have been privately warning business associates that the White House does indeed have some leverage over their plans to build a new, $3.7 billion stadium for the team, a source said. Advertisement 'They're really getting nervous about Trump's attacks and how they might impact the stadium deal,' said one person with direct knowledge of the matter. Publicly, Harris and Blitzer have said the Commanders will remain the Commanders. Much of the stadium deal involves working with the decidedly woke DC government run by left-wing mayor Muriel Bowser. The deal has no direct federal funding, with DC agreeing to cover about $1 billion of the cost. Behind the scenes, they say they are parsing all the ways Trump could screw things up for them. The stadium is on federal land leased to the DC government for the next 99 years. 3 'They're really getting nervous about Trump's attacks and how they might impact the stadium deal,' said one person with direct knowledge of the matter. AP Advertisement That means it will need certain approvals from US agencies like the National Capital Planning Commission and the US Commission of Fine Arts – the boards of both are occupied by some Trump appointees. It also needs a nod or two from the Trump administration's environmental team. The fear is that Trump could, as he's done with left-leaning law firms, colleges and major media outfits, use his control of the administrative state to extract concessions, the people at Harris-Blitzer concede. Would Trump ever use his sway over such entities to meddle in a private business deal? Well, we know the answer to that since fighting wokeness appeals to the MAGA base, and quite frankly, most Americans. Note that Trump is a master troller. He can generate unfavorable news cycles and skewer Harris and Blitzer as woke Wall Streeters, potentially hurting team attendance since most football fans are right of center, people close to them fear. Advertisement 3 David Blitzer, left with part-owner Magic Johnson in 2023. Getty Images Recall that former owner Dan Snyder renamed the team in 2020 at the height of the social-justice movement, bowing to the woke NFL and its commissioner Roger Goodell, as well as some advertisers and activists who argued the name was an affront to Native Americans. Snyder had been fighting the switch for years, arguing that the Redskins moniker was hardly a slur, but instead a term of pride in Native American culture. Charlie Gasparino has his finger on the pulse of where business, politics and finance meet Sign up to receive On The Money by Charlie Gasparino in your inbox every Thursday. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters A lot has happened since 2020, including Snyder selling the team to Harris and Blitzer in 2023 for $6.05 billion. There also has been a public backlash against all things woke: See what happened to Bud Light after it used a trans activist in a beer commercial. One sports executive, who asked not to be quoted by name and knows Trump well, said the duo will at the very least have to do what other big companies are doing when confronted by The Donald – bow and kiss the ring. 'He may not ultimately try to kill the stadium deal if they don't change the name but Harris and Blitzer are going to have to grovel before Trump relents,' this person said. A press rep for Harris-Blitzer didn't return a request for comment.
