There was some speculation that Trump is using the issue to distract attention from the Jeffrey Epstein files, and whether he was implicated in them.

President Trump isn't kidding around with his new threat to the NFL's Washington Commanders, the White House says.

Trump also said Sunday that he wants Cleveland's baseball team to revert to its former name, the Indians, saying there was a “big clamoring for this" as well. The Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians have had their current names since the 2022 seasons and both have said they have no plans to change them back.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Sunday to interfere with a deal to build a new football stadium in Washington, D.C., unless the local NFL team, now known as the Commanders, changes its name back to Redskins.

President Trump is demanding the Washington Commanders go back to their former Redskins name, threatening to stop the construction of their new stadium on the site of the old RFK Stadium in Washington,

Stephen A. Smith on Monday accused Trump of drumming up controversy on the Washington Commanders' name to turn the public's attention away from Jeffrey Epstein.