Why Trump wants Cleveland Guardians, Washington Commanders to go back to being called Indians and Redskins

President Donald Trump on Sunday demanded that the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians go back to their old names out of respect for native Americans

Updated on: Jul 21, 2025, 24:53:10 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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President Donald Trump on Sunday demanded that the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians go back to their old names out of respect for native Americans. The NFL franchise was formerly called Redskins, and the MLB side was named the Cleveland Indians.

Donald Trump has called for the Commanders and Guardians to change their names (HT_PRINT)

In a post on Truth Social, Trump publicly called on the owners of both teams to consider these changes.

“The Washington “Whatever’s” should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this. 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!!!” Trump said in the post.

Why does Trump want the Commanders, Guardians to change their names?

Trump argued that there is a “big clamoring” for the return of the original names, asserting that “our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen.”

He further added that their “heritage and prestige” are being “systematically taken away,” suggesting the name changes in 2021–2022 erased a valued legacy.

Team owners, including Josh Harris (Commanders) and Paul Dolan (Guardians), have resisted, citing brand investment and public feedback since 2022.

Harris has repeatedly affirmed the Commanders’ name is permanent, while Dolan’s “awakening” after George Floyd’s death drove the Guardians’ shift, supported by Native American groups like the National Congress of American Indians, which opposed the old names.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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