It doesn't appear the Cleveland Guardians are willing to change the team's name despite a demand from President Donald Trump.
The Guardians changed their name from the Indians following the 2021 season amid pressure from Native American groups who said the name was offensive.
However, President Trump believes sentiment has changed.
"Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen," the president posted on Truth Social, without providing evidence. "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."
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Cleveland Guardians' president of baseball operations, Chris Antonetti, said he understands that there are different perspectives, but he's looking to the future.
"We’ve got the opportunity to build a brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future that's in front of us," he said on Sunday.
The Guardians are not the only professional football team that has drawn the ire of the president. President Trump also said the Washington Commanders should change their name back to the Redskins.
"I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original," President Trump posted on Truth Social.
It's unclear what type of restriction President Trump is referring to, but his comment is a direct contradiction of a post he made in 2013 on Twitter.
"President should not be telling the Washington Redskins to change their name-our country has far bigger problems! FOCUS on them, not nonsense," he stated.
However, Congress, currently controlled by Republicans in both the House and Senate, has the final authority over Washington, D.C.’s budget.
Earlier this year, the District of Columbia and the Commanders announced a deal to build a new state-of-the-art stadium on the RFK campus, bringing the team back to the District for the first time since 1996.
