Donald Trump “forgot” the nickname of the Washington Commanders’ name mid-speech after previously threatening to block their stadium move to D.C. unless they return to Redskins
19:54 ET, 31 Jul 2025Updated 08:30 ET, 01 Aug 2025
Donald Trump ‘forgot’ what the Washington Commanders were named
Donald Trump wants the Washington Commanders to bring back their old nickname so badly that he “forgot” what their new one is.
President Trump held a press conference this week where he signed an executive order reestablishing the Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. The roundtable of guests included LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, WWE legend Triple H, and Giants Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor.
Somewhere between trying to bring back the Presidential Fitness Test and mispronouncing the name of Dolphins star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Trump pivoted to his favorite niche hobby of attempting to rename sports teams against their will. “If they bring back the name, you’ll have a lot of excitement,” Trump told reporters. “What are they, Commanders or something? Is it Commanders? It’s not a good name.”
The “forgetful” moment came 10 days after Trump issued a very public ultimatum to the same team, threatening to block their proposed $4 billion stadium plan unless they rebranded back to the Washington Redskins. After years of protest and corporate pressure, the derogatory name was dropped in 2020. It comes after Trump’s body ‘jolts towards floor’ after hitting a lectern amid growing health concerns.
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“The Washington Redskins, it’s a fabled franchise,” Trump continued. “And now I don’t even know what the hell their last name is.”
Trump also continued support of the past nickname of the Cleveland Guardians, appearing confused as to why “Indian” might be considered offensive.
“You know who’s upset about it? The Indians are upset about it,” he said.
“They’re upset about Redskins, too. I guess you’d say it was a little bit less of a case, but people want to see the Redskins, and the Indians back,” he said. “I recommend it.”
The Commanders franchise was originally founded as the Redskins in 1937 following their move from Boston (1932-1936).
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In 2020, the franchise embraced a new placeholding identity as the Washington Football Team in response to calls for change from Native American groups and corporate partners.
Companies like Nike, FedEx, and PepsiCo played a pivotal role by choosing not to support merchandise bearing the former name, prompting the organization to redefine itself during a significant era of racial justice.
The franchise officially adopted the name Commanders in 2022.
The Navajo Nation celebrated this transition, referring to it as a “historic day for all Indigenous peoples around the world,” reflecting a positive step toward honoring diverse cultures and communities. Now, Trump wants to reverse all of that work.
“My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way,” Trump wrote.
“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.”