In a move that has been long awaited by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, President Trump has signed an executive order that aims to put the full weight of the federal government behind their quest for recognition. According to a release from Senator Thom Tillis's office, the order instructs the Department of the Interior to exhaust all available options to grant full recognition to the tribe, a breakthrough in a decades-long struggle. Senator Tillis expressed his satisfaction with the president's action, stating, "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."
Senator Tillis, alongside Senator Ted Budd, highlighted the bipartisan effort to pass the Lumbee Fairness Act, which seeks to secure the legal status of the Lumbee Tribe and provide access to long-denied federal resources. He noted the legislation addresses historical injustices from the Indian Termination Era. “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. I remain committed to working with President Trump and the North Carolina Congressional Delegation in a bipartisan, bicameral manner to pass the Lumbee Fairness Act to ensure the Lumbee Tribe’s federal recognition is secure and free from legal obstacles,” Tillis stated, as shared on Tillis's official Senate website.
Senator Budd, echoing Tillis's statements, gave thanks to the president for delivering on a promise to the Lumbee community, as they join to push for the passage of the crucial bill. "I would like to thank President Trump for keeping his promise to the more than 60,000 members of the Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina who have waited decades for federal recognition," said Budd, as noted by Senator Thom Tillis's office.
