Former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton created a social media kerfuffle after posting an old picture of herself wearing gloves depicting the Washington Redskins football team on Thursday, January 1.
Clinton celebrated the new year by sharing a photo of her, her husband, Bill, and their daughter, Chelsea, skiing at Camp David in January 1994.
“It’s going to be a great year for defending democracy,” Clinton wrote. “Let’s go!”
It’s going to be a great year for defending democracy. Let’s go! pic.twitter.com/wBFzKfhYre
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 1, 2026
The issue, as some X users pointed out, is that the image features Clinton in Washington Redskins football gloves. Clinton later became an outspoken advocate against the team name, telling Fusion in 2014 that the time had come for a change.
“I think it’s insensitive and I think that there’s no reason for it to continue as the name of a team in our nation’s capital,” Clinton said in an interview with Jorge Ramos that summer. “I would love to see the owners think hard about what they could substitute.”
Earlier that year, 50 senators — 48 Democrats and two independents — wrote to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asking the league to change the team’s name. The NFL declined the request, and the Redskins kept their name through the end of the 2019 season.
However, the Redskins changed their name in 2020 amid increased pressure and ongoing social justice movements. After two seasons as the Washington Football Team, they became the Washington Commanders in 2022.
One X user wrote: “The gloves + disabling replies. … I hate both sides of the uniparty equally, but when it comes to the almost poetic exposing of BS virtue signaling, this takes the cake.”
Another added, “There’s just no way she’s wearing Washington Redskins merch”
Take those offensive gloves off. They’re the Commanders now https://t.co/TqHbYiPeh2
— Future RE Requiem Enjoyer (@PapaMace69) January 2, 2026
Longtime MLB pitcher Brad Ziegler chimed in, calling Clinton’s decision to wear Redskins gloves “interesting.” Arguably, the more interesting part is that Clinton wore the Redskins gloves in January 1994, only weeks after Washington finished a 4–12 season and had no players selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
(Then again, the Montreal Expos were more than a decade away from moving to Washington and becoming the Nationals, and the then-Bullets were amid a sixth straight losing season. At least the Capitals made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals.)
President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on the Commanders to switch back to the Redskins. However, as of January 2026, there are no indications that the organization plans to revert to the old name.
The Commanders have more significant issues than their current name or logo. Injuries and a poor defense doomed Washington to its seventh losing season in nine years. Only one year after reaching the NFC Championship Game, the Commanders are 4–12 entering Sunday’s season finale against the rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Washington is on pace to pick No. 7 in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Commanders have not reached the Super Bowl since defeating the Buffalo Bills in January 1992.
