As tribal leaders gather in the nation’s capital for one of the first major meetings of the year, a key partner is missing from their efforts to hold the United States accountable for its trust and treaty obligations.

The new administration of President Donald Trump.

The federal government all but pulled out of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) executive council winter session in Washington, D.C., this week. That left the largest inter-tribal advocacy organization scrambling amid the “disruption” and “chaos” caused in the first days — and now weeks — of the Trump administration.

“We had some early commitments and when everything kind of hit the fan, they backed out,” Larry Wright Jr., NCAI’s executive director, said on Monday.

“We’re told they couldn’t talk, didn’t want to talk,” added Wright, a former chairman of the Ponca Tribe.

“Or they just didn’t want to be exposed to questions about the EOs and the impact,” Wright said in reference to the executive orders that have caused confusion and uncertainty in Indian Country.

“Because of that, because of the impact that they’ve had in Indian Country, we’ve essentially scrapped our agenda for this week,” Wright said during a news conference on the opening day of NCAI’s meeting in D.C.

The agenda for NCAI’s winter session, being held at a hotel just blocks from the White House, indeed reflects the absence of Indian Country’s trustee. Over five days of general assemblies, breakout sessions and other meetings, only one person from the federal government is scheduled to appear before tribal leaders and advocates — and it’s not a high-level official from the new Republican administration.

 “Usually, administrations will put infrastructure in place, like an intergovernmental affairs person for tribes and for counties and local governments and for states,” said NCAI President Mark Macarro. “I don’t know if this administration has done that for any of those.”

“There doesn’t seem to be a White House contact” for Indian Country, Macarro told Native reporters on Monday.

“And so we’re waiting for that to happen — and in the breach, all this stuff unfolded,” said Macarro, who is in his 30th year of serving as chair of the Pechanga Band of Indians in southern California.

As of Tuesday, the first full day of NCAI’s event, only one federal employee managed to make an appearance. Still, the presentation from Pedro Torres, the National Tribal Liasion for the Natural Resources Conservation Service at the Department of Agriculture, was far from the Cabinet secretaries that attendees are used to hearing from.

“You won’t see any here this time,” Jason Giles, the executive director of the Indian Gaming Association, said on Tuesday of the lack of a federal presence.

“That tells you a lot right there,” said Giles, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

NCAI isn’t the only tribal organization feeling the federal freeze. When the National American Indian Housing Council met in D.C. last week, attendees were told that “current limitations” prevented government representatives from showing up.

Likewise, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and the National Indian Education Association have come to D.C. for long-running conferences that are timed with the start of each new session of Congress. Tribal leaders and advocates are hearing that even lawmakers are having to work harder than usual to reach the president’s new team and educate them on the trust and treaty obligations of the U.S.

“We’re going to build on the good progress we’ve made”: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chair of Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, has been working to ensure Trump administration recognizes trust and treaty responsibilities. @NCAI1944 #ECWS2025 @lisamurkowski @IndianCommittee pic.twitter.com/m7vSeY7uL6

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 11, 2025

“Right now in Washington, D.C., to describe it as challenging and chaotic is probably minimizing it,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the new chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, told NCAI on Tuesday, describing the three weeks since the presidential inauguration January 20 as “choppy.”

“Many of you have been up at night wondering how you’re going to continue the services that so many rely on,” said Murkowski, citing problems that tribes, tribal organizations and Alaska Native entities have had with accessing federal funds already promised to them.

‘The federal government is charged with moral obligations of the highest responsibility and trust towards Indian tribes,” added Murkowski. “And it’s that trust responsibility that we’re talking about here.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, NCAI wasn’t yet aware of whether any federal partners have been able to recommit to those trust responsibilities and attend the winter session. But the meeting continues — even as an incoming winter storm is sending government employees home earlier than anticipated.

Yet the U.S. government’s absence has helped bring together numerous Indian Country organizations. During NCAI’s meeting this week, the agenda has been revised so that attendees can hear more details about how Trump’s funding freeze and his executive actions have impacted education, health, social service and other programs.

“We’ve had a strong unified response,” NCAI President Mark Macarro said on Tuesday, following his State of Indian Nations address on Monday.

“We stand firm. We hold our ground”: With photo of his great-great grandmother Leona on screen, National Congress of American Indians President Mark Macarro (Pechanga) calls on Indian Country to persevere amid massive changes in political landscape. @NCAI1944 #SOIN2025 pic.twitter.com/q7SsLzslr1

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 10, 2025

It was during the speech that Macarro used the words “disruption” and “chaos” to describe the opening weeks of the Trump administration. From tribal citizens being questioned and detained during federal immigration raids to rescinding diversity, equity and inclusion programs, he called on Indian Country leaders to advocate for their communities.

“I strongly affirm it’s time to speak up. It’s time to stand up,” Macarro said on Monday. “Tribal leadership must hold the federal government accountable to these commitments. That’s why we are here.”

Macarro pointed out that tribes have always been committed to working with federal partners, regardless of who occupies the White House. But he also said that NCAI, along with fellow organizations like the Native American Rights Fund, are ready to pursue litigation and other strategies to protect Indian Country from attacks.

“We will not yield as we navigate the next three and three-quarter years,” said Macarro. “We stand firm. We hold our ground.”