Trump takes step toward federal recognition of NC’s Lumbee Tribe
President Donald Trump outlined Thursday afternoon a path for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to potentially receive federal recognition, something the tribe has sought for 136 years.
As he sat in the Oval Office, marker in hand, ready to sign the order, his staff conveyed what “a huge step” this would be for the Lumbee tribe.
“I love the Lumbee tribe,” Trump said, as he signed the document. “They were with me all the way. They were great, North Carolina Lumbee Tribe.”
Made up of 55,000 members in Robeson, Hoke, Scotland and Cumberland counties, the Lumbee are considered the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River and the ninth largest in the country. Trump has enjoyed the support of the tribe, though they haven’t always backed Republican candidates.
He asked that the tribe receive a copy of the order and the marker he signed it with and said he would be visiting them soon.
Campaign promises
The order doesn’t automatically give the tribe federal recognition. It directs the Secretary of Interior, within 90 days, to review all “applicable authorities” with leadership from the tribe, and submit a plan to Trump to garner recognition through legislation or other means.
Trump ordered that the plan include consideration and analysis of any possible legal path for the tribe, either through Congress, judicial action or federal rules.
Granting federal recognition to the Lumbee was among the campaign promises Trump made ahead of his 2024 election.
On Thursday afternoon, state Rep. Jarrod Lowery, a member of the tribe, posted on social media, “Promises Made. Promises Kept,” and thanked Trump.
Opposition
But not everyone was celebrating Trump’s decision. Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, put out a lengthy statement cautioning that “tribal history and the existence of Indian ancestry must be at the heart” of a decision over federal recognition.
“Recognition is a profound act with far-reaching consequences, and it must be based on objective evaluations of provable historical and genealogical evidence to protect the integrity of tribal nationhood,” Hicks said in his statement.
The Cherokee have long opposed Lumbee recognition, and have lobbied in Congress, spending between $180,000 and $480,000 a year since 2020, according to Open Secrets.
Hicks accused the Lumbee of making false claims about their ancestry, urging that recognition be considered under the standards of the Office of Federal Acknowlegement.
“We continue to believe that the OFA process is the proper venue to consider recognition for the Lumbee and any other group claiming to be a tribe,” Hicks said. “This process was established to provide a fair, transparent, and rigorous mechanism for determining whether a group (is) comprised of Indian ancestry from historical tribes.”
Hicks added that protecting the integrity of federal recognition is critical, as to not put other tribal sovereignty at risk.
Lumbee history
The Lumbee people first asked for federal recognition in 1888, hoping for federal funding for educational needs. They were denied, due to lack of funding, but were granted federal recognition in 1956.
The problem with the 1956 recognition is that it did not come with the typical benefits including access to Indian Health Services or support from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Since then the tribe has received conflicting opinions on how to rectify the situation.
A member of Congress has introduced a bill to offer help 30 times, without it ever making it to the president’s desk.
The last attempt happened on Dec. 17, when the U.S. House passed a Lumbee recognition bill, but it stalled before making it to the Senate floor. Congress finished its work for the year on Dec. 20.
Congressional aid
Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd and Reps. David Rouzer and Mark Harris, Republicans from North Carolina, introduced bills in the chambers at the start of the new session of Congress in another attempt to grant the tribe recognition.
On Thursday they celebrated Trump’s orders.
“The Lumbee People have waited for decades for full federal recognition — President Trump’s executive order could not have come at a better time,” Harris said, in a written statement to McClatchy. “But we can’t lose momentum now. The House and Senate must pass the Lumbee Fairness Act to codify this recognition once and for all. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this across the finish line.”
Tillis has devoted much of his time to working behind the scenes on the bill, urging his colleagues to support it and bring it to the Senate floor.
“I applaud President Donald J. Trump’s executive order to prioritize the Lumbee Tribe’s fight for full federal recognition and the federal benefits they have long been denied,” Tillis said, in a written statement. “In September 2024, President Trump made a promise to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to right the historical wrongs of the Indian Termination Era, and today’s executive order is a major step to correcting that wrong.”
Both Tillis and Budd said in written statements they were committed to working to get the Lumbee Fairness Act passed.
This story was originally published January 23, 2025 at 4:08 PM.