Topline
President Donald Trump is angling for the new Washington Commanders stadium to be named after him, ESPN reported—a decision that would likely have to be made by Washington, D.C. city lawmakers and the National Park Service.
A photo illustration of President Donald Trump and the Washington Commanders logo. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Facts
An unnamed senior White House official said there have been unofficial discussions with a member of the Commanders ownership group, Josh Harris, about naming the new $3.7 billion stadium—set to be complete in 2030—after Trump, ESPN reported, citing multiple other sources who confirmed the talks.
“It’s what the president wants, and it will probably happen,” the senior White House source reportedly said, while another source told ESPN Trump “has plenty of cards to play to get his way,” adding, “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.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt didn’t address ESPN’s questions about the stadium, but said “that would be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible.”
NFL stadium naming rights are typically sold to a corporate sponsor, though the Washington, D.C. Council, which will lease the stadium to the team, and the National Park Service, which manages the federal land where the new stadium will be built, are likely to make the final decision, according to ESPN.
What To Watch For
Trump is expected to attend the Commanders game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.