Trump on RFK Stadium deal: 'If I can help them out, I would'
Trump weighs in on Commanders stadium at RFK site
The DC City Council resumes talks regarding a potential new Commanders stadium at the site of RFK Stadium. Mayor Muriel Bowser had previously established a July 15th deadline for a decision, but ongoing discussions are jeopardizing that goal. Plus, President Trump weighs in on his potential role in the process. Fox 5's David Kaplan has the story.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump says he wants to see the Commanders at RFK Stadium – but implied he'd stay on the sidelines for now.
What they're saying:
Trump was asked if he'd intervene to push the RFK Stadium deal through if the D.C. Council didn't approve it.
"We’ll see what happens. I’ve been looking at the deal and I don’t blame them. It’s a very important piece of property. It’s a great piece of property so we’ll see. But if I can help them out, I would. Ultimately, we control that.….the federal government ultimately controls it. So we’ll see what happens,' said Trump. "I saw the plans. I saw the stadium. The owners, they’re very, 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 there. I can tell you that. So if they want to negotiate a little tough, that’s OK with me."
The backstory:
D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson said he thinks the majority of council wants to get to ‘yes’ on the deal, but he wants to comb through the Mayor and Commanders agreement. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and her team want the deal to pass by July 15.
The D.C. Council is going to have hearings at the end of July, then they'll be on August recess – on track to blow past that deadline.
What's next:
Trump seems to support the Council's desire to negotiate – but made a point that the stadium site is federal government property.
So what could Trump do to move the RFK Stadium deal forward?
Sports Law Professor Melinda Roth says while the stadium site is federal land, the RFK legislation signed into law in January gives administrative control to D.C. for 99 years. The bill allows for a stadium, but explicitly prohibits D.c. from using federal funds to build one.
It does allow for the RFK lease to be canceled, but only if the federal government finds D.C. not complying with the terms of the lease and not correcting any violations within 90 days.
Roth interprets the president’s remarks more as a way of exerting pressure on all sides to get this done.
"The one thing he’s very right about is that this is an important piece of property and he is right that the federal government has retained ownership, they have merely transferred the administrative duties to the district and in order for them to take it back, the district would have to be in violation of the agreement, which would be pretty hard to do," said Roth.