President Trump never thought changing the name from the Redskins to Commanders was a good idea, but if the team became a winning franchise, he could support the current name.
“You want me to make a controversial statement? I wouldn’t have changed the name,” Mr. Trump told reporters Sunday at Morristown Municipal Airport in front of Air Force One. “It just doesn’t have the same ring to me.”
“But, you know, winning can make everything sound good. So, if they win, all of a sudden the Commanders sounds good, but I wouldn’t have changed the name,” he said.
The Washington Redskins got a name change in 2022, two years after social justice riots spread across the country. The team eventually adopted the name Commanders.
Last year, Commanders owner Josh Harris hinted at the possibility of another name change but closed the door on that idea in February.
“I think it’s now embraced by our team, by our culture, by our coaching staff. So we’re going with that,” Mr. Harris said at a press conference.
In April, Mr. Trump injected himself into a dispute over efforts to eliminate the Massapequa, Long Island, high school “Chiefs” mascot, a Native American figure in a headdress.
“I think the Indian population is a great part of this country — has a great heritage. And we were talking about Massapequa, Long Island. … They call themselves the Chiefs,” he said.
“The Kansas City Chiefs, and they’re changing, and they have a great team, great people, great owners, great coach and quarterback.”
He added, “I see nothing wrong with it. They call them the Warriors, and not that team, but a lot of other teams.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon ordered an investigation into the Long Island school mascot matter in May.
This led to Ms. McMahon referring New York’s “unlawful attempt to ban mascots and logos that celebrate Native American history” to the Justice Department after the New York State Department of Education and Board of Regents rejected a proposal to rescind the prohibition.
