The White House did not confirm reports that President Donald Trump wants the new stadium for Washington’s NFL team named after him.
While Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said it would be a “beautiful” name for the venue, planned to be built on the site of the RFK Stadium, there was no further comment on the truth of the ESPN report.
“A senior White House source said there have been back-channel communications with a member of the Commanders’ ownership group, led by Josh Harris, to express Trump’s desire to have the domed stadium in the nation’s capital bear his name,” the outlet reported, citing “multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.”
(Video Credit: NBC4 Washington)
“A Commanders spokesperson declined comment Saturday,” ESPN noted, ahead of the president’s attendance at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, for Sunday’s game between the Commanders and the Detroit Lions.
“The team source said that while the Commanders anticipate possible conversations with Trump about the new stadium during the game, there have been no formal conversations to date,” the report continued.
President Donald Trump wants the Washington Commanders to name their planned $3.7 billion stadium after him, multiple sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/LSu86wehGg
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 8, 2025
“The Commanders own the new stadium’s naming rights, presumably to be sold to a corporate sponsor. But a source with firsthand knowledge of the process said that would be a separate decision from also commemorating an individual in the stadium name,” ESPN reported.
The team has played at the old RFK Stadium for more than three decades, and the new facility is expected to open in 2030.
“That would surely be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible,” Leavitt told ESPN in response to reports on the new stadium.
“Leavitt declined to answer additional questions, but the senior White House source told ESPN: ‘It’s what the president wants, and it will probably happen,'” the outlet added.
Earlier this summer, Trump pressed for the Washington Commanders to restore their old name, which was ditched amid the ‘woke” protest days of 2020.
“The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team,” he wrote on Truth Social in July. “Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!”
Karoline Leavitt says President Trump is “serious” about not facilitating a deal for the Washington Commanders’ new stadium to be built in DC if it doesn’t revert to its former name, the Redskins:
“The President was serious and as part of the art of the deal, part of his… pic.twitter.com/rKDDLILeB5
— Julia (@Jules31415) July 22, 2025
“The team doesn’t have the authority. They can’t name the stadium … on their own,” a source told ESPN. “The city would be involved in that decision, and the Park Service would be involved.”
The source noted that the president “has plenty of leverage” to make the name request.
“He has cards to play. He can make it very difficult, through government environmental approvals and other things, to make sure everyone who wants this stadium to be built will join to put his name on it,” the source said. “Trump has plenty of cards to play to get his way.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.