President Donald Trump, seen here at a May event with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Commanders owner Josh Harris and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, wants the new D.C. stadium named after him, multiple sources said.
Washington, D.C. — Multiple sources told ESPN that President Donald Trump wants the Washington Commanders to name their planned $3.7 billion stadium in the nation’s capital after him.
According to a senior White House official, private discussions have taken place between the administration and a member of the Commanders’ ownership group, led by Josh Harris, to express Trump’s desire to have the new domed stadium bear his name. The venue will be built on the site of the old RFK Stadium, which was home to Washington’s football 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 said in an emailed statement to ESPN on Friday. While she declined further comment, another senior official added, “It’s what the president wants — and it will probably happen.”
A Commanders spokesperson declined to comment on Saturday, but a team source confirmed that preparations are underway for Trump’s attendance at Sunday’s home game against the Detroit Lions. Trump will reportedly attend as Josh Harris’ guest and is expected to participate in halftime events honoring the military.
Although no formal talks have been held about naming the new stadium, the team anticipates the topic could come up during Trump’s visit.
The Commanders own the stadium’s naming rights, typically expected to be sold to a corporate sponsor. However, a source close to the process noted that naming the venue after an individual would be a separate decision, likely requiring approval from the D.C. Council and the National Park Service, which manages the federal land where the new stadium is being constructed.
“The team doesn’t have sole authority — the city and the Park Service would also have to sign off,” the source explained.
In April, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Josh Harris jointly announced the Commanders’ plans to return to Washington with a new stadium. Then in July, Trump threatened to block the project unless Harris agreed to change the team’s name back to “Redskins,” which many Native American groups consider offensive. The team dropped that name in 2020, temporarily becoming the Washington Football Team before adopting the Commanders name.
On September 17, the D.C. Council voted 11–2 to approve the RFK Stadium Redevelopment Project, calling it the largest economic development effort in the city’s history. The Commanders will invest $2.7 billion and cover all cost overruns, while the district will contribute $1 billion. The 65,000-seat stadium will be part of a 174-acre complex that includes housing, retail, and sports facilities — just two miles from the U.S. Capitol.
The team currently plays at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, about nine miles from the RFK site — a location tied to three of Washington’s Super Bowl victories and deep nostalgia among fans.
Most NFL teams sell naming rights for hundreds of millions of dollars, but Trump reportedly isn’t interested in purchasing them. According to a source familiar with his position, he wants the stadium named after him as a tribute, not a transaction — much like Lambeau Field in Green Bay or Soldier Field in Chicago.
“He has plenty of leverage,” the source said. “If he really wants his name on it, he can make things difficult through federal approvals and environmental reviews until everyone agrees to it.”
