President Donald Trump isn’t backing down from his demand that Washington’s NFL team return to its controversial former name. On Monday, the White House doubled down on what many initially dismissed as political theater.Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump is serious about tying federal approval for the Commanders’ new stadium to the reinstatement of the ‘Redskins’ name. This label was retired in 2020 following pressure from Native American groups, corporate sponsors and civil rights advocates."The president was serious," Leavitt told reporters on Monday while answering questions on the White House driveway."Sports is one of the many passions of this president and he wants to see the name of that team changed. I think you've seen the president gets involved in a lot of things that most presidents have not. He's a non-traditional president. He likes to see results on behalf of the American people."The comments come amid growing scrutiny over Donald Trump’s renewed push to revive culturally sensitive team names. On Sunday, he floated the idea of halting progress on the Commanders’ long-planned stadium project, which is set to rise on the site of the old RFK Stadium. This is unless team officials commit to bringing back the ‘Redskins’ identity.Though the land transfer from federal to D.C. control was finalized earlier this year under legislation signed by President Biden, final approvals still require coordination with local and federal bodies.Stephen A. Smith claps back at Donald Trump's naming controversyFor Donald Trump, the move appears to be as much about rallying cultural conservatives as it is about football. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith offered a blistering critique during a segment of First Take on Monday."Well, I think it's the president being petty. I think it's him being evasive," Smith said"Because when you look at the the Reds skin's name, obviously it's something that needed to be changed and that, and by him bringing that issue up, we all know from a political landscape, it's much a do about nothing. It's just him catering to his base to make sure that he serves, to appease them in some way to distract them from other issues, including the Epstein files;" he added.Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris, who acquired the franchise in 2023, has been steadfast in maintaining the new identity. Early in his tenure, Harris dismissed speculation that the franchise might reverse course, calling the Commanders' name a cornerstone of its rebranding effort.