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The Washington Commanders’ team name was back in the news recently after President Donald Trump posted on social media that he wanted the franchise’s team name to be reverted to its former name, the Redskins.
Trump then took a step further, threatening to halt the team’s plans to build a new stadium in the nation’s capital if they didn’t bring back the old name.
“My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “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.”
Trump also called the Commanders the “Washington ‘Whatever’s.’”
D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser didn’t sound concerned about Trump’s latest post, saying she is “focused” on getting the stadium deal over its final hump, and that a blockage is likely not “an eventuality we have to plan for.”
“This is what I believe — I’ve had the opportunity to speak on a couple of different occasions with the president about this site and about our team,” Bowser told ESPN. “And I can say this without equivocation: He is a Jayden Daniels fan, and he said himself, and the presser we were at, that this is probably the best site of any site he’s seen for a stadium. I have to think that that’s what I’ve heard him say, and that’s what we’ll stick with.
“Let me be clear: We’re on the 1-yard line, and it’s time to get over the line,” she added. “I can’t even imagine having to start all over on this. There’s nobody waiting in the wings with $2.7 billion. And so this stadium is a catalyst, and it will attract other investments. Any impediment to it getting done should be discouraged. When you’re on the 1-yard line, you want to carry it over, right? That’s all you want. No fumbles, no interceptions — let’s just get it over the line. And that’s what we’re focused on.”
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Commanders general manager Adam Peters, too, is unfazed — even about the stadium deal — and is keeping his eyeballs on the product on the field, wherever they play.
“Whether it’s the stadium or anything else (non-football-related), those things don’t really make it to us,” Peters said. “We’re just trying to focus on what’s going on here and getting ready for the season.”
Trump added that the MLB’s Cleveland 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 said. “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)!”
Both teams’ front offices have said there are no plans to revert to their old names, or even change them again in any way.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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