Indigenous organization condemns Trump’s call to bring back Washington NFL team name

WASHINGTON — The Association on American Indian Affairs is condemning U.S President Donald Trump’s call for Washington’s football team to revert to its old name, saying any claim that Indigenous nations support the use of Indigenous-themed mascots is false.

On Sunday, in a social media post, Trump threatened to hold up a new stadium deal if the NFL’s Washington Commanders team doesn’t return to its old name, which was considered offensive by Indigenous Americans.

Trump also called for Cleveland’s baseball team to revert to its former name — which was also seen as offensive to Indigenous Peoples — claiming “there is a big clamoring for” the change.

The Association on American Indian Affairs says in a statement that Indigenous communities and experts have repeatedly and clearly said that these themed mascots are offensive and dehumanizing.

The national Indigenous non-profit organization says the mascots and names reduce Indigenous Peoples to caricatures.

The Washington football team announced its name change in 2020 as many sports franchises, including some in Canada, stopped using similar names and logos following decades of pushback from Indigenous activists and communities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2025.