Trump Reportedly Eyes Naming Rights for New Commanders Stadium

According to a report released on Saturday, President Trump is actively advocating for the new $3.7 billion stadium of the Washington Commanders to bear his name.

An insider revealed to ESPN, “This is the president’s desire, and it’s likely to come to fruition.”

Although the White House has not officially confirmed the report, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hinted that such a naming has a certain appeal.

The Commanders and Washington have finalized an agreement to construct the massive stadium at the RFK Stadium site, a project nearing $4 billion.

Leavitt stated to The Hill on Saturday, “That would indeed be an impressive name, considering it was President Trump who played a pivotal role in facilitating the stadium’s reconstruction.”

President Trump plans to attend the Commanders’ matchup against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, where he will be hosted by Josh Harris, the leader of the team’s ownership group.

“The team doesn’t have the authority. They can’t name the stadium … on their own,” one of the sport outlet’s sources said.

“The city would be involved in that decision, and the Park Service would be involved,” they added.

The Commanders did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the matter.

The team is slated to return to the grounds of the old Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Stadium, which sits on federal land in Washington’s Anacostia neighborhood. Although the site is managed by the National Park Service, Congress passed a law last year granting the district’s local leaders control over the stadium’s redevelopment.

The D.C. Council in September voted 11-2 to approve the NFL team’s return to the nation’s capital after playing in Landover, Md., for the past 28 years.

Republicans in the House advocated for the expedited approval of redevelopment plans for the stadium over the summer and recently introduced a measure to ensure that all D.C. Council legislation undergoes a 60-day congressional review period prior to its passage, while preventing council members from passing bills that are similar to measures disapproved by Congress.