Wednesday, May 7, 2025 – Trump administration weighs in on Native American mascot debate

As the state of New York works to eliminate school mascots with Native American names and imagery, they have run into a powerful adversary: the federal government. The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into whether the state is violating the civil rights of Long Island’s Massapequa School District by forcing them to change their “Chiefs” mascot. President Donald Trump personally weighed in, expressing his support for keeping the mascot. A lawyer for the school says the issue is “the battleground for the preservation of our history and values nationwide.” We’ll hear about the issues at play in New York and how it affects other efforts by other states and cities to end offensive Native mascots.