President Donald Trump reportedly wants the Washington Commanders' incoming $3.7 billion stadium to carry his name, and the White House isn't exactly denying it.
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ESPN reported over the weekend that Trump has expressed a desire for the franchise's new building to simply be named "Trump Stadium." When TMZ reached out for comment, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called it a "beautiful" name and added that "it was President Trump who made the rebuilding of the new stadium possible."
It's not entirely clear what that means. Back in July, Trump threatened to block the stadium deal if the franchise didn't revert to the "Redskins" nickname. The new stadium will be built at the RFK Stadium site — named after Robert F. Kennedy — which could be part of where the idea started.
One problem. The Commanders don't actually control the naming rights outright. The stadium land is managed by the National Park Service, while the District of Columbia Council is leasing the site.
On top of that, the team will almost certainly want a corporate naming sponsor — the type of partner that writes massive checks for brand placement.
Per ESPN, Trump doesn't want to pay for naming rights and doesn't want a sponsor to pay for him either. He simply wants the tribute.
Trump is expected to attend Sunday's game in Washington. He'll likely see Commanders owner Josh Harris. If Trump wants to push the idea personally, he'll have that chance — face to face.
