The Cleveland Guardians have issued a response to President Trump’s continuous criticisms over their previous name change.
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The world leader took to his Truth Social platform on Sunday to urge the Cleveland Guardians and Washington Commanders to revert to their old team names.
“The Washington ‘Whatevers’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team,” Trump stated. “There is a big clamoring for this.”
President Trump then called out the Cleveland Guardians, which had previously been known as the Cleveland Indians. “Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, have a storied past. Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen.”
Further pushing the claims that the Indigenous people were concerned about sports teams and their branding, President Trump wrote, “Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. 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!!!”
Hours after the post went viral, Cleveland Guardians President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti admitted to reporters that he wasn’t aware of President Trump’s statements. However, he said reverting to the Indians is not something he has been tracking or has been paying a lot of attention to.
“We’ve gotten the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years,” he added. “And are excited about the future.”
He then said he understands the different perspectives others have on the name change. However, he did not indicate that the MLB team would revert to the Indians anytime soon. The team changed to the Guardians in 2022.
President Trump has a history with the Cleveland Guardians franchise. He previously attempted to buy the team back in 1983, but his offer was rejected.
President Trump Claims the Cleveland Guardians’ Owner Has Struggled With His Political Career Due to the Franchise Name Change
In another Truth Social post, President Trump claimed that Cleveland Guardians owner Matt Dolan has struggled with his political career due to the franchise’s name change.
“The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change,” Trump stated. “What he doesn’t understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election. Indians are being treated very unfairly.”
Dolan served in the Ohio Senate from 2017 to 2024. He previously served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2005 to 2010. He ran for the United States Senate election in Ohio in 2022 and 2024.