President Donald Trump will be in attendance for Sunday’s Commanders-Lions game during the NFL’s Salute to Service month – and well… like many things, he has some thoughts on the name for Washington’s new stadium.
Per ESPN, President Donald Trump has expressed a desire for the Washington Commanders’ planned $3.7 billion stadium to bear his name.
A senior White House official confirmed that informal discussions have taken place between the administration and a member of the Commanders’ ownership group, led by Josh Harris. The new domed stadium is set to rise on the historic RFK Stadium site, which hosted the team from 1961 to 1996.
“That would be a beautiful name, as it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told ESPN in an email Friday night. She declined further comment, but another senior official added, “It’s what the president wants, and it will probably happen.”
A Commanders spokesperson declined to comment Saturday. However, a team insider confirmed the organization is preparing for Trump’s attendance at Sunday’s home game against the Detroit Lions, where he will be Harris’ guest and participate in a halftime tribute to the military. The source noted that while informal discussions about the stadium may occur, no official talks have been held.
The Commanders control the stadium’s naming rights, which are typically sold to corporate sponsors. Yet, a source close to the matter told ESPN that naming the venue in honor of an individual would be a separate decision, likely involving both the D.C. Council—set to lease the stadium to the team—and the National Park Service, which manages the federal land on the RFK site.
“The team doesn’t have sole authority,” the source said. “The city and the Park Service would need to be involved.”
In April, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell joined D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Harris to announce the team’s official return to the District. But Trump later threatened to block the project unless the team reverted from the Commanders back to its former “Redskins” name, which many Native American groups consider offensive. The team dropped the name in 2020 under former owner Dan Snyder, temporarily calling itself the Washington Football Team before adopting the Commanders moniker in 2022.
On September 17, the D.C. Council voted 11–2 to approve the RFK Stadium redevelopment. Under the agreement, the Commanders will contribute $2.7 billion and cover any cost overruns, while the District will invest $1 billion. The 65,000-seat stadium, slated to open in 2030, will anchor a mixed-use project featuring housing, retail, and sports facilities—“the largest economic development project in D.C. history,” according to Mayor Bowser.
The Commanders currently play at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, but the RFK site remains a sentimental favorite among fans and ownership alike. Nearly all NFL teams have sold stadium naming rights to corporations for massive sums, though a few—like Lambeau Field in Green Bay and Soldier Field in Chicago—carry honorary names without sponsors.
Trump, whose name adorns numerous hotels and golf courses, has reportedly been eager to see more landmarks named after him. Earlier this year, congressional allies proposed renaming the Kennedy Center as the Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts.
A source familiar with the stadium project said Trump could use his influence to secure the naming, regardless of which agency has final say. “He has leverage,” the source said. “He can make things difficult through environmental approvals or other channels to ensure the stadium carries his name.”
Sources emphasized that Trump is not seeking to purchase naming rights or have a donor do so on his behalf. Instead, he views the gesture as a tribute—similar to Lambeau Field—recognizing his role in advancing the project.
