If President Donald Trump had his way, the NFL’s Washington Redskins would have never changed their team name to the Washington Commanders.
Trump was asked by a reporter if he would reinstate the Redskins name.
“You want me to make a controversial statement?” Trump answered, per The Hill. “I would.”
The Redskins team name was changed to the Commanders in the wake of the 2020 social justice protests.
The protests led to a national reckoning on race issues in America, including the names of pro and school sports teams thought to be racist or otherwise offensive.
“I wouldn’t have changed the name,” the president said of the Redskins moniker switch. “It just doesn’t have the same — it doesn’t have the same ring to me.”
“But, you know, winning can make everything sound good,” Trump said. “So if they win, all of a sudden the Commanders sounds good, but I wouldn’t have changed the name.”
Following an internal review, the D.C. team announced in July 2020 that the Redskins name and logo would be retired.
The NFL franchise for nearly two years was known as the “Washington Football Team” until adopting the name Commanders in February of 2022.
The Commanders moniker, however, has been unpopular with some fans and has spurred calls to restore the Redskins name.
A majority of fans said they were not happy with the Commander name according to a poll in the Washington Post in April.
But Commanders owner Josh Harris in February said that the new name is going to stick.
“I think it’s now embraced by our team, by our culture, by our coaching staff. So we’re going with that,” he said at a press conference.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.