On Dec. 17, 2025, the U.S. Senate passed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, and the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina secured federal recognition as a tribal nation.
Senate Passes NDAA, Secures Recognition
The bill, which included a clause for the Lumbee, passed the Senate in the afternoon. Celebrations erupted in Pembroke, where more than 200 members watched the vote on television. Chairman John Lowery said, “It means a lot because we have been figuring out how to get here for so long,” after the vote.
Path to Recognition
The tribe’s quest began in the 1980s when it applied through the Office of Federal Acknowledgement. The office declined the application citing a 1956 act that acknowledged the Lumbee but withheld benefits. The decision was reversed in 2016, yet the tribe continued to pursue recognition through Congress. Kevin Washburn, former assistant secretary of Indian affairs, said, “Hopefully, Congress will expand the pie in appropriations so that the other tribes, many of which are poor, don’t suffer because there’s suddenly such a larger number of Native Americans in that region.”
Controversy and Opposition
Some tribal leaders, historians and genealogists argue that the Lumbee’s claims are unverifiable. Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes testified before the Senate, saying, “Federal recognition does not create us – it acknowledges us,” and warned that replacing historical documentation with political considerations would manufacture tribes. He added, “If identity becomes a matter of assertion rather than continuity, then this body will not be recognizing tribes, it will be manufacturing them.”
Political Backing and Trump’s Role
President Donald Trump endorsed the tribe on his campaign trail in 2024, and in January issued an executive order directing the Interior Department to develop a plan for recognition. The plan was submitted to the White House in April, and a department spokesperson said the tribe was advised to pursue recognition through Congress.
Lowery, the tribal chairman, has worked closely with Senator Thom Tillis and appealed directly to Trump. In September, Lowery wrote to Trump announcing ancestral ties between the Lumbee Tribe and the president’s daughter Tiffany Trump, according to Bloomberg.
Key Takeaways
- The Lumbee Tribe achieved federal recognition after the Senate passed the 2026 NDAA.
- The recognition grants access to federal resources, grants, and trust land status.
- The move faced opposition from some tribal leaders who question the tribe’s historical claims.
The milestone marks a new era of federal resources and trust land status for the Lumbee Tribe.
