Donald Trump
 

The Washington Redskins are not "total winners." They have finished last in the NFC East six of the past seven seasons. But they got the next best thing.

The franchise's name received an endorsement from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Monday.

"Honestly, I don't think they should change the name, unless the owner wanted to," Trump says in a New York Times interview.

The franchise has used the name Redskins since its second season in 1933. In recent years, the name has come under fire for being a racial slur toward Native Americans. Lawmakers and public action groups have revved up their bipartisan efforts to curb the nickname, and last summer, the Redskins' trademark was canceled by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Owner Dan Snyder stands by the name.

"I know Indians that are extremely proud of that name," Trump says. "They think it’s a positive."

Shortly after the New York Times article was published, Change The Mascot, the national campaign advocating the removal of the Redskins moniker released a statement condemning Trump's accusations.

"It is hardly surprising that a candidate who labeled Mexican immigrants rapists and calls women 'pigs' now says he wants the NFL to continue slurring Native Americans," the statement reads. "Donald Trump joins some of the NFL’s ignoble fraternity of billionaires who sit in their office suites and owners boxes happily spending their fortunes denigrating people of color."

The New York Times points out fellow Republican hopeful Jeb Bush also expressed approval of the Redskins' nickname saying, "I don't find it offensive."

As for Trump being told he and Bush agree on the Redskins, a rarity between the two's politics, he laughs, "It's progress."

The Redskins are 2-2 with a road trip to the Atlanta Falcons coming this Sunday.


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-- Follow Jeffrey Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband.