For years, fans have urged people to keep politics separated from sports.
That might not be possible anymore, given today’s polarizing climate.
President Donald Trump continues to rant about team nicknames, and he’s now set his sights on the Cleveland Guardians.
In a lengthy post also discussing the Washington Commanders’ name, he urged the Guardians to go back to their former nickname, via Politics US.
🚨 NEW: Donald Trump threatens to block a new football stadium in Washington DC if the NFL’s Washington Commanders don’t change their name back to the Washington Redskins
The President also says that it is ‘unfair’ on Indians that the MLB’s Cleveland Guardians are no longer… pic.twitter.com/l66jnZa98h
— Politics US (@PolitlcsUS) July 20, 2025
The Guardians adopted a new name in 2021 after years of deliberation and strong efforts from Native American communities, who deemed the previous nickname offensive to their culture.
While it may seem like a new initiative in today’s more politically correct climate, those communities had been trying to get the franchises to change their names for almost five decades.
Of course, some fans don’t like the new names and believe they go against the teams’ identities.
But at the end of the day, they’re privately owned businesses, and as such, can decide how they handle such matters.
A nickname is an integral part of a team’s identity, but how they fare on the field is often the priority.
The Guardians have fared mostly well since they adopted their new nickname, and not many fans will complain if the World Series Trophy someday reads “Cleveland Guardians.”
The team should do what’s best for its future, and there might be bigger issues to address than this.
NEXT: Guardians Given Encouraging Second-Half Prediction
