While addressing a recent ESPN report that revealed Trump had told the Washington Commanders’ ownership that he wants the stadium to bear his name, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “That would surely be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible.”
A White House source also stated, “It’s what the president wants, and it will probably happen.”
However, a spokesperson for the Commanders told AP that the team has no comment on the ESPN report. Washington, DC’s Mayor Muriel Bowser has also declined to comment on the situation.
“The team doesn’t have the authority. They can’t name the stadium … on their own,” a source also told ESPN. “The city would be involved in that decision, and the Park Service would be involved.”
The new Washington Commanders stadium is being built on the site of the former RFK Stadium, where the NFL team previously played for three decades. The project is expected to cost nearly $4 billion. The team is contributing $2.7 billion, while the city is investigating about $1.1 billion.
Over the summer, President Trump threatened to put a “restriction” on the Washington Commanders unless the team changed its 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.”
He also threatened not to sign a deal for the stadium.
“I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,” the world leader stated. “The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone.”
The Washington Commanders dropped the Redskin name back in 2020 in response to “economic pressure.” Following a two-year search, the team declared itself the Commanders.