President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum directing Doug Burgum, nominated Secretary of the Interior, to devise a plan for extending federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. The Lumbee Tribe has sought recognition for over a century, but the process has faced legal and legislative challenges. While the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Lumbee Fairness Act in December 2024, the bill did not advance in the Senate. The tribe continues to push for federal acknowledgment through legislation or a legal process. 

Trump’s memorandum directs Burgum on Lumbee Tribe recognition