Stephen A. Smith accused U.S. President Donald Trump of leveraging the Washington Commanders’ team name as a political smokescreen. The sports analyst branded the president’s remarks as “petty” and “evasive.”Trump reignited controversy over the NFL franchise on Sunday by suggesting he may block federal support for the team’s stadium development. This is unless the Commanders revert to their former name, the Redskins, a term widely recognized as racially insensitive and officially retired in 2020.Smith didn’t mince words in response."Well, I think it's the president being petty. I think it's him being evasive." Smith said on Monday, via ESPN's "First Take."Smith's comments came amid growing tensions over the future of the team’s planned home at the RFK Stadium site in Washington, D.C. The federal government recently transferred control of the land to local authorities. Trump has publicly threatened to use his influence to derail the project if the name isn't changed back.Stephen A. Smith links Redskins controversy to Jeffrey Epstein file demands after Trump's commentActivists Project Message To Trump Calling For Release Of Epstein Files - Source: GettyFor Stephen A. Smith, Donald Trump’s name-change crusade reflects more than nostalgia. It's a tactic designed to deflect attention from politically thorny topics, including the still-unresolved Jeffrey Epstein files."Because when you look at the Redskins 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 ado about nothing," Smith said on Monday, via ESPN's "First Take.""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."The Commanders, formerly known as the Redskins since their 1930s origins, officially rebranded in 2022 under new ownership. Washington Chief Executive Officer Josh Harris acquired the franchise from Dan Snyder in 2023. Harris has publicly committed to keeping the Commanders name, signaling a move away from the franchise’s controversial past.However, Trump’s weekend comments complicated an already fragile deal to build a $2.7 billion stadium on the historic RFK site.That pressure comes despite broad institutional backing for the current deal. In January, then-U.S. President Joe Biden signed a legislation granting D.C. control over the land.House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer recently urged local officials to finalize the stadium plan without delay. However, with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the council still at odds over budget allocations, Trump’s threats have thrown new uncertainty into the timeline.