President Donald Trump wants the new Washington Commanders stadium in D.C. to bear his name. According to reporting by ESPN, there have already been back-channel communications with the team’s ownership, and a White House official has stated, “It’s what the president wants, and it will probably happen.”

This is not how public landmarks should be named.

The stadium, which will be built on the old RFK site, is part of a $3.7 billion development partially funded by taxpayers and leased from the federal government. The land is managed by the National Park Service, and naming decisions will require the approval of the D.C. Council, not just the Commanders ownership group.

This project belongs to the people of Washington, not to any president.

We are calling on the D.C. Council and the National Park Service to:

• Reject any proposal to name the Commanders stadium after Donald Trump or any sitting president
• Reaffirm that naming rights for public projects must never be influenced by political pressure
• Ensure all decisions related to the stadium reflect democratic process and public transparency

This stadium is being described as the largest economic development project in D.C. history. It will shape the city’s landscape for generations. Naming it after a sitting president, particularly one leveraging political influence over federal land and permitting processes, sets a dangerous precedent.

Honor D.C.’s history, its people, and the fans who have stood by the team for decades. Do not turn a civic landmark into a political monument.

Sign this petition if you believe no stadium built with public land and funding should be named to satisfy the political ambitions of any sitting president.

Photo Credit: CNN