President Donald Trump on Sunday signaled he’s willing to intervene in the Washington Commanders’ stalled stadium negotiations, suggesting the federal government could assert control over the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial site if the D.C. Council refuses to approve Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed $1.1 billion taxpayer-funded deal.
“If I can help them out, I would,” Trump told reporters. “Ultimately, the federal government controls that. So, we’ll see what happens. I saw the plans, I saw the stadium — the owner’s a very successful and a very good man. I know him a little bit. And it would be a great place for the NFL to be.”
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President Trump tells reporters he’s willing to intervene in @Commanders stadium deal if @councilofdc fails to approve. “if I can help them out I would. Ultimately the federal government controls that” @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/2J9Tn0aJfK
— Mark Segraves (@SegravesNBC4) July 7, 2025
Trump’s comments inject federal pressure into a deeply local and politically fraught issue.
The Commanders, who currently play at FedEx Field in Maryland, seek to return to their historic home on the RFK Stadium site but face growing resistance from D.C. lawmakers unconvinced by the team’s timeline and economic projections.
Bowser, who has championed the deal, expressed concern last week that the stadium plan may collapse if the D.C. Council doesn’t act swiftly. Appearing on The Team 980, she rated her level of concern as a “4 out of 5.”
While Bowser and the Commanders have urged the council to approve the $3.7 billion project by July 15 — with the team contributing $2.7 billion and the city covering $1 billion — lawmakers say they need more time. The council is now pushing back its timeline for approving the stadium deal, citing the need to complete multiple studies and hold public hearings.
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson confirmed the July 15 deadline would not be met and said a vote would likely happen in the fall after three key studies are completed: an economic analysis from the council’s budget office, findings from the city’s chief financial officer on proposed tax breaks, and an independent sports study.
The Commanders have expressed concerns that the delays could derail their goal of opening a new stadium by 2030 and jeopardize their bid to host matches during the 2031 Federation Internationale de Football Association Women’s World Cup.
Trump’s willingness to get involved in the stadium debate comes after a notable shift in Bowser’s political strategy toward the White House.
On May 5, Bowser met with Trump at the White House for the first time since his second inauguration. The two joined NFL officials to announce that the 2027 NFL Draft would be held on the National Mall — a deal Bowser’s administration had been working on for years.
Bowser told reporters following the meeting that she used the opportunity to press D.C. concerns directly.
“I think it went well, and I think the president understands our issues,” she said. “I thanked him for leaning in with a tweet. I told him I may ask him to do it again.”
She also said she spoke face-to-face with multiple Cabinet secretaries and senior White House officials during the visit.
“That’s important to D.C. residents,” she said.
Bowser’s outreach to Trump drew praise in a recent Politico article titled, “Bowser Tosses Trump Resistance Playbook for a New Strategy.” The article highlighted the mayor’s calculated pivot to a more pragmatic approach focused on “shared priorities” in a GOP-dominated Washington.
Meanwhile, across the border in Maryland, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore — widely rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential bid — has been an outspoken critic of Trump, blaming him for government worker job cuts, tariffs, and policies he claims have hurt Maryland.
At the same time, the Trump administration recently withdrew support for relocating the FBI headquarters to a 61-acre site in Greenbelt, Maryland, instead backing a new location at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, D.C., just blocks from the existing J. Edgar Hoover Building.
The Commanders’ potential move back to D.C. would also pull the team out of Landover, further diminishing Maryland’s stake in professional sports and federal investments.
During the same exchange with reporters on Sunday, Trump was asked whether the team should have changed its former name, the “Washington Redskins,” which was retired in 2020.
DC COUNCIL PUSHES RFK STADIUM APPROVAL BACK WITH STUDIES AND PUBLIC HEARING DEADLINES
“I wouldn’t have changed the name,” Trump said. “It just doesn’t have the same ring to me. But, you know, winning can make everything sound good. So if they win, all of a sudden, the Commanders sounds good.”
The team briefly went by the Washington Football Team from 2020 to 2022 before adopting the Commanders name.