Donald Trump is making a bold play to have the Washington Commanders’ shiny new $3.7 billion stadium named after him.
The Daily Mail reported that Trump, never shy about leaving his mark, is pushing for the future home of the Commanders at the RFK Stadium site to bear his name, claiming his influence paved the way for the project, while also stirring controversy with demands about the team’s branding.
Let’s rewind to May, when Trump was already singing the praises of the RFK location, calling it the best spot for a stadium. He even took credit for pushing the plan forward, while flashing personalized Commanders gear like a No. 47 jersey with his name on it.
By August, Trump upped the ante on Truth Social, threatening to block federal support for the stadium unless the team ditches “Commanders” and returns to the old “Redskins” moniker, a name dropped in 2020 amid cultural sensitivity debates.
Trump’s insistence on renaming isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a jab at what many see as overzealous political correctness in sports branding decisions.
Fast forward to this Sunday, and Trump will be rubbing shoulders with Commanders owner Josh Harris in a VIP suite at Northwest Stadium for the game against the Detroit Lions.
It’s his first NFL game of the season, and you can bet the stadium naming chatter will be as intense as the action on the field.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt didn’t mince words with ESPN, declaring, “That would be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible.”
Let’s unpack that—while Trump’s involvement in the RFK land transfer, signed into law by President Joe Biden in January, might have helped, slapping his name on a $3.7 billion venue feels like a stretch even for his biggest supporters.
Leavitt doubled down, adding, “It's what the president wants, and it will probably happen,” though she dodged further questions, leaving us wondering just how much leverage Trump plans to wield.
A source hinted that Trump could play hardball with government environmental approvals to ensure his name gets etched on the stadium’s facade.
While the Commanders haven’t formally discussed the naming idea with Trump yet, team officials expect those conversations to kick off soon.
For now, the team’s focus remains on their ambitious 2030 timeline to return to the RFK site, a plan bolstered by Congress transferring the land to the city for development.
Whether Trump’s name ends up on the stadium or not, his knack for inserting himself into the NFL spotlight—after past failures like his USFL venture with the New Jersey Generals—shows he’s still gunning for a win in the league, even if it’s just a naming rights touchdown.
