D.C. Mayor Unbothered by Trump’s Call for Commanders to Change Name Back to Redskins

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed to reporters on Tuesday that President Trump was “serious” when he stated that he would impose restrictions on the Washington Commanders’ new stadium deal unless the team changed its name back to Redskins.

However, that’s not an issue, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) thinks she will have to deal with.

On Sunday, Trump wrote two posts on Truth Social: the first post called on NFL owners to change the Commanders’ name back to Redskins. In the second post, Trump not only doubled down on the first post, he also threatened to put restrictions on the team’s new stadium deal in D.C. if they didn’t change their name back to Redskins.

“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. The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone.”

Despite the president’s strong words and clear promise to gum up the works on a stadium deal that would be worth billions to her city, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser does not think the president’s threat will materialize.

“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.”

While Bowser may solely be focused on the 1-yard line, other politicians in D.C. are more open to a return to the Redskins. D.C. City Council Chairman Phil Mendelsohn told 106.7 The Fan’s Grant Paulsen that he would “have no problem” with the old nickname coming back.

“He suggested the past DC opposition of the team moving back into the city while named Redskins had more to do with Dan Snyder than the name,” Paulsen said of Mendelson’s position on the issue. “Suggested he would have no problem with DC welcoming the team back with the name Redskins now.”