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Mike Murillo
Guest
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump reignited the debate over the name of Washington’s NFL team. Now, D.C.-area leaders are weighing in on his comments.
Trump said in a Truth Social post over the weekend that the White House could get in the way of the deal to return the Commanders to a new stadium in D.C., if the team doesn’t go back to its previous name.
“I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,” Trump said Sunday.
On Monday morning, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was asked about the comments and said her focus is on winning council approval for the $3.7 billion plan to bring the Commanders back to the nation’s capital.
“I think the thing that we should focus on in D.C. is doing our part and I have worked for the better part of 10 years to get our part completed, including getting control of the land, coming to an agreement with the team in advancing a fantastic agreement to the council. So, we need to do our part. Let’s focus on doing our part,” Bowser said.
The team changed its name three years ago, following a public outcry as many considered the previous name offensive.
Bowser was also asked whether a return to the previous name would change her position on bringing the team back to the nation’s capital. “No, it wouldn’t. It would not change,” she said.
Despite the threat of getting in the middle of the project, the White House has not made any moves to officially intervene, Bowser said.
How the president could choose to stop the project is not yet known.
While funding for the project has been included in the D.C. budget, which will be voted on next week, the council has yet to approve the terms of the deal. Hearings on the stadium deal are expected to begin July 29.
In a statement to WTOP, D.C. Council chair Phil Mendelson responded to Trump’s comments by saying his focus is on getting the “best deal for taxpayers,” and getting that deal “across the finish line.”
“I have heard from no — zero — District residents, complaining about the name change or saying this is an issue in connection with the stadium,” Mendelson said.
WTOP reached out to the Commanders for comment.
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Trump said in a Truth Social post over the weekend that the White House could get in the way of the deal to return the Commanders to a new stadium in D.C., if the team doesn’t go back to its previous name.
“I may put a restriction on them that if they don’t change the name back to the original ‘Washington Redskins,’ and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, ‘Washington Commanders,’ I won’t make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,” Trump said Sunday.
On Monday morning, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was asked about the comments and said her focus is on winning council approval for the $3.7 billion plan to bring the Commanders back to the nation’s capital.
“I think the thing that we should focus on in D.C. is doing our part and I have worked for the better part of 10 years to get our part completed, including getting control of the land, coming to an agreement with the team in advancing a fantastic agreement to the council. So, we need to do our part. Let’s focus on doing our part,” Bowser said.
The team changed its name three years ago, following a public outcry as many considered the previous name offensive.
Bowser was also asked whether a return to the previous name would change her position on bringing the team back to the nation’s capital. “No, it wouldn’t. It would not change,” she said.
Despite the threat of getting in the middle of the project, the White House has not made any moves to officially intervene, Bowser said.
How the president could choose to stop the project is not yet known.
While funding for the project has been included in the D.C. budget, which will be voted on next week, the council has yet to approve the terms of the deal. Hearings on the stadium deal are expected to begin July 29.
In a statement to WTOP, D.C. Council chair Phil Mendelson responded to Trump’s comments by saying his focus is on getting the “best deal for taxpayers,” and getting that deal “across the finish line.”
“I have heard from no — zero — District residents, complaining about the name change or saying this is an issue in connection with the stadium,” Mendelson said.
WTOP reached out to the Commanders for comment.
Source
Continue reading...