President Donald Trump is once again making headlines by demanding the Washington Commanders football team return to its original Redskins name.
He’s not alone in this effort — Trump has received vocal support from Scott Turner, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and former NFL defensive back. Turner, who once wore the Redskins jersey during his professional football career, is fully backing Trump’s call for the name change.
Turner played in the NFL for eight years, taking the field for teams like the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos between 1995 and 2003.
Having started his NFL journey with the Redskins after being selected by Washington in the seventh round of the 1995 draft, Turner spent three seasons with the team.
Over the course of his football career, Turner tallied 106 tackles and five interceptions — a solid record for a professional defensive back. On Sunday, he made his stance clear by responding directly to Trump’s statement.
In his message posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Turner wrote, “I played in the NFL and was drafted by the Washington Redskins.
Not the ‘Washington Football Team’ or the ‘Commanders.’” He went on to say, “@POTUS is right. It’s time to bring the Redskins’ name back.” His words echoed the sentiments of many fans who have expressed frustration with the changes to the team’s name over the years.
Trump has been outspoken about this topic and reinforced his position with multiple posts on Truth Social, his social media platform. On Sunday, Trump made two separate posts directed at both the Washington Commanders and the Cleveland Guardians, a Major League Baseball team that was formerly known as the Cleveland Indians. Trump demanded that both teams restore their previous names, citing cultural heritage and fan support.
In his first Truth Social post on the matter, Trump wrote, “The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team.
There is a big clamoring for this.” He then extended his appeal to the MLB team by saying, “Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past.”
Trump argued that many Native Americans, whom he referred to as “our great Indian people,” actually support restoring the original team names. He claimed that “in massive numbers” Native Americans want to see these traditional names brought back, suggesting that their heritage and prestige are being stripped away by political correctness and modern cultural shifts.
“Times are different now than they were three or four years ago,” Trump continued. “We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!”
Later, Trump upped the stakes by adding a financial angle to the conversation. He suggested that the Commanders’ ability to secure a deal to redevelop the site of the old RFK Stadium could depend on whether they revert to the Redskins name.
In a second Truth Social post, Trump said, “My statement on the Washington Redskins has totally blown up, but only in a very positive way.”
He continued, “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.”
Trump argued that returning to the Redskins name would not only increase the team’s value but would also make any stadium deal far more exciting for everyone involved.
The name of Washington’s football team has been a contentious topic for years. In 2020, amid widespread racial tensions and cultural debates, team owner Daniel Snyder decided to retire the Redskins name.
The team temporarily became the Washington Football Team before finally settling on the Commanders as its permanent nickname. Since then, Snyder sold the team to businessman Josh Harris.
In response to Trump’s remarks and the renewed public debate, Fox News Digital reached out to the Commanders for comment. However, team owner Josh Harris has already made his position clear in previous interviews.
Harris stated that he has no intention of changing the Commanders’ name again, even as plans are being made to construct a new stadium in Washington, D.C.
During an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report” in April, Harris responded directly to the question of whether the Redskins name might return as part of any new stadium deal. “The Commanders’ name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building,” Harris said to host Bret Baier.
He elaborated by saying that within the team, certain types of players who are tough and passionate about football have embraced the Commanders’ identity. He even cited Jayden Daniels, a player seen as embodying the spirit of a Commander.
Harris noted that the team’s business staff had also embraced the new identity, and he pointed out that Washington, D.C., is a military city, with more military personnel than anywhere else in the country.
“There’s more military personnel than anywhere else, so we’re kind of moving forward with the Commanders name, excited about that, and not looking back,” Harris added. This clear statement leaves little room for hope among fans or political leaders like Trump who want to see the Redskins name restored.
Despite Harris’s position, Trump’s posts have reignited discussions among fans, former players, and political figures about whether the team should return to its traditional name.
Trump’s argument is that the name Redskins was a cherished part of sports culture, especially for fans who grew up rooting for the team under that name. He sees the change as unnecessary and politically driven rather than reflective of the wishes of Native Americans themselves.
Scott Turner’s support adds an authentic player’s perspective to this debate. As a former Redskin, Turner’s opinion carries weight among former players and NFL fans who believe that the team’s original identity represented pride and tradition, not offense.
His tweet backing Trump’s statement shows that within the football community, there is still sentimentality and attachment to the Redskins name.
Meanwhile, the Commanders continue operating under their new identity, with no plans to revisit the past. The business side of the team, as well as its branding and marketing strategies, have all adapted to the Commanders name. The team's management sees this identity as fitting for the capital city’s military history and character.
However, Trump’s influence and his threat to complicate the Commanders’ stadium plans could create further complications. The RFK Stadium site is a coveted location for any new football stadium, and Trump’s suggestion that he might block the deal unless the name reverts back to Redskins adds a political twist to the team’s future in Washington.
For now, there are no signs that Harris will reconsider the team’s name despite Trump’s comments or Turner’s public endorsement. Still, the issue continues to stir debate both among sports fans and political observers, showing that sports team names remain a culturally sensitive and politically charged subject.
As this conversation continues, it remains to be seen whether political pressure, fan sentiment, or business considerations will ever bring about another change. Trump’s latest move has certainly brought the issue back to the forefront of public discourse, especially with his characteristic flair for controversy and directness.
In summary, President Trump’s public demand for the Washington Commanders to reclaim the Redskins name has found support from former player and current HUD Secretary Scott Turner.
Trump’s warnings about the RFK Stadium deal and his firm stance on preserving what he sees as traditional American sports heritage ensure that this debate is far from over.
Yet, despite the pressure, Commanders owner Josh Harris seems firmly committed to the team’s current identity, leaving fans, politicians, and former players to continue debating what the future of Washington football should look like.
