President Donald Trump’s recent statement that he never would have changed the name of the NFL’s Washington Redskins prompted praise from a Native American group pushing to restore the team’s moniker, calling his remarks a stand for cultural truth and justice, Breitbart reported.
The Native American Guardians Association said Trump’s remark are a stand for cultural truth and justice.
During an exchange with reporters in New Jersey on Sunday, Trump responded to a question about the team’s former name: “Well, you want me to make a controversial statement? I would. I wouldn’t have changed the name. But that’s their — it just doesn’t have the same ring to me.”
The comment resonated with Native advocates, including Frank Black Cloud, vice president of NAGA. Speaking to TMS Sports, Black Cloud said the president’s words “validate what Indian country has been saying for years.”
“The name ‘Redskins’ was never a slur, but a symbol of strength, honor, and pride for American Indian people,” Black Cloud said. “President Trump is standing with history, with truth, and with American Indian voices that have been silenced for far too long.”
He added, “This is not about nostalgia — it’s about justice.”
The Washington NFL franchise retired the Redskins name in 2020 and became the Commanders during a wave of name changes and social activism after the death of George Floyd in police custody. At the time, team officials cited concern over the term being viewed as racially insensitive.
However, some Native American organizations, including NAGA, have insisted the name honors Indigenous heritage.
“The name ‘Redskins’ carries deep cultural, historical and emotional significance — honoring the bravery, resilience, and warrior spirit associated with Native American culture,” the group said.
Current team owner Josh Harris, who purchased the franchise from Daniel Snyder, has paid homage to the franchise’s past through design choices but has not supported a return to the Redskins name.
“The Commanders’ name actually has taken on an amazing kind of element in our building,” Harris told Fox News in April. “So, the people that certain types of players that are tough, [who] love football, are delegated Commanders, and Jayden [Daniels], for example, is a Commander, and they’re ranked.
“And, you know, the business staff has gotten into it, and obviously, we’re in a military city here. There’s more military personnel than anywhere else, so we’re kind of moving forward with the Commanders’ name, excited about that, and not looking back.”