Donald Trump has once again inserted himself into the debate over sports team names, urging the Cleveland Guardians to revert to their former "Indians" moniker. In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, July 20, 2025, Trump claimed that there is a "big clamoring" for the name change and that "our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen". He argued that their "heritage and prestige" is being "systematically taken away from them". Trump also called on the Washington Commanders to restore their former "Redskins" name.
The Cleveland Guardians, formerly known as the Cleveland Indians, officially changed their name prior to the 2022 season after 106 years. This decision followed years of controversy and protests surrounding the "Indians" name and the "Chief Wahoo" logo, which were considered offensive and harmful to Native Americans. Numerous Native American groups and advocates had long called for the team to rebrand, arguing that the use of Native American imagery and caricatures perpetuated harmful stereotypes and misunderstandings. In 2018, the team removed "Chief Wahoo" as its primary logo.
The team's decision to change its name was spurred, in part, by the social unrest following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Team owner Paul Dolan stated that the new name, Guardians, was meant to reflect the city of Cleveland and its people. The name is inspired by the Hope Memorial Bridge, which is adorned with large stone edifices called "traffic guardians".
In response to Trump's demand, Guardians president Chris Antonetti stated that the team is "excited about the future" and has been building the Guardians brand for the past four years. He acknowledged that there are "very different perspectives" on the name change decision but implied that the team does not plan to revert to the "Indians" name. A team spokesperson stated that the Guardians would have no further comment regarding Trump's post.
This isn't the first time Trump has voiced his disapproval of the Guardians' name change. He has previously stated that the decision was made to be "politically correct". During his 2024 election campaign, he compared the name "Cleveland Guardians" to a group of people "in charge of a trust fund". Trump has also claimed that Matt Dolan, brother of the Guardians' majority owner, has lost elections because of the name change.
The renaming process wasn't without its challenges. The team reportedly considered nearly 1,200 potential names and conducted 140 hours of interviews with fans, community leaders, and front office personnel. There was even a lawsuit filed by a Cleveland-based roller derby team named the "Cleveland Guardians," who claimed the baseball team's name change infringed on their trademark.
Despite Trump's claims that Native Americans overwhelmingly support a return to the "Indians" name, many Native American groups have praised the change to "Guardians" as a step towards righting wrongs and promoting justice. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary, called the name change a "welcome and necessary change," noting that the use of Native American mascots and imagery is "harmful to Indigenous communities".
