US President Donald Trump is stirring up controversy once again, this time in the world of sports.
Trump took to his Truth Social site on Sunday, demanding that the Washington Commanders NFL franchise and the Cleveland Guardians MLB team change their names back to their previous, allegedly racist, monikers.
The Washington Controversy
The Washington Commanders, previously known as the Washington Redskins, dropped their old name after the 2019 season and temporarily became the Washington Football Team before adopting their current name in 2022.
Trump claims that there’s a “big clamouring” for the team to revert to its original name, stating that “Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen.
Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them.”
However, Josh Harris, the owner of the Commanders, has already dismissed the idea of changing the name back, saying it’s “here to stay.”
The Cleveland Conundrum
The Cleveland Guardians, formerly known as the Cleveland Indians, adopted their new name in 2021 after phasing out their previous logo, “Chief Wahoo,” in 2018.
Trump argues that the team should revert to its original name, citing the “storied past” of the franchise, which is one of the six original baseball teams.
But Guardians president Chris Antonetti has already indicated that there are no plans to revisit the name change, stating that the team is focused on building its brand as the Guardians.
Trump’s Threats and Fallout
In a bid to exert pressure, Trump threatened to block the Commanders from building a new stadium in Washington if they didn’t change their name.
The controversy has sparked a heated debate, with many weighing in on the issue of institutions and teams dropping logos and names considered racist.
One thing is certain – this issue is far from resolved, and Trump’s involvement has added fuel to the fire.