Historic Move: Trump Directs Interior Department to Recognize Lumbee Tribe

President Trump Pushes for Federal Recognition of Lumbee Tribe

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the Department of the Interior to explore pathways for granting federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. The move fulfills a promise Trump made during his 2024 campaign and marks a significant step in the tribe’s decades-long fight for federal recognition.

Who Are the Lumbee Tribe?

The Lumbee Tribe traces its ancestry to survivors of multiple eastern tribal nations who settled in an isolated region of North Carolina. The tribe’s name, adopted in the 1950s, is derived from the Lumbee River, which flows through their ancestral territory.

Today, the Lumbee Tribe is headquartered in Pembroke, North Carolina, with a population of over 55,000 members, making it the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River and the ninth-largest in the United States. Despite state recognition since 1885, the tribe has been denied full federal recognition, which would grant access to critical funding and resources for housing, education, and health care.

A History of Federal Denial

In 1956, the Lumbee Act acknowledged the Lumbee as a distinct group but stopped short of granting them the benefits of federal tribal recognition. Since then, the tribe has faced repeated setbacks in its pursuit of recognition through Congress.

While the House of Representatives has passed legislation supporting federal recognition multiple times, including as recently as December, these efforts have consistently stalled in the Senate.

Trump’s Executive Order

On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order requiring the Interior Department to work with Lumbee leadership to develop a plan for federal recognition. The order gives the department 90 days to determine the best path forward, whether through Congress, the courts, or administrative action.

“This action is a direct follow-through of the campaign promises made by the President and shows his dedication to the Lumbee people,” said Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery in a statement.

Opposition and Controversy

Not everyone supports the Lumbee Tribe’s bid for recognition. Representatives from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and other tribes have argued that federal recognition should be based on rigorous evidence rather than political decisions.

“Federal recognition is not an entitlement. It is a status earned through evidence, not politics,” said Eastern Band Principal Chief Michell Hicks, following the House’s passage of a Lumbee recognition bill in December.

A Political Stronghold

Robeson County, home to the Lumbee Tribe’s headquarters, played a pivotal role in Trump’s re-election campaign. Once a Democratic stronghold, the county overwhelmingly supported Trump in 2024, with 59% of the vote.

“They were with me all the way, they were great,” Trump said during the signing ceremony.

What’s Next?

The Interior Department now has 90 days to deliver its recommendations to the president, potentially paving the way for the Lumbee Tribe to join the more than 500 federally recognized tribes in the U.S.

For the Lumbee people, this represents a critical step in their fight for recognition and access to federal support, a quest that has spanned generations.