{"id":652,"date":"2020-09-16T20:03:26","date_gmt":"2020-09-17T01:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/w\/?p=652"},"modified":"2020-09-16T20:10:12","modified_gmt":"2020-09-17T01:10:12","slug":"trump-administration-short-on-details-for-white-house-council-on-native-american-affairs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/09\/16\/trump-administration-short-on-details-for-white-house-council-on-native-american-affairs\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump administration short on details for White House Council on Native American Affairs"},"content":{"rendered":"\"david\r\n
Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, right, and First Lady Melania Trump participate in opening of the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on September 19, 2019. Photo: Tami A. Heilemann \/ U.S. Department of the Interior<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n
Trump administration short on details for White House Council on Native American Affairs<\/div>\r\n
Wednesday, September 16, 2020<\/div>\r\n
By Acee Agoyo<\/div>\r\n
Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe Trump administration insists the White House Council on Native American Affairs is “moving full speed ahead” despite declining to detail the work it’s supposedly doing as the November presidential election quickly approaches.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe recently revived council met an early demise<\/a> when its leader — executive director Tyler Fish, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation<\/a> — went on military leave last month. His absence is expected to last through mid-October.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nAfter Indianz.Com reported about the apparent setback on August 31, the Department of the Interior<\/a> reached out two days later to stress that Secretary David Bernhardt<\/a> continues to serve as chair of the council, which is focused on advancing President Donald Trump’s priorities for Indian Country. But when asked what exactly that means, the agency fell silent on the specifics.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\u201cWe\u2019re moving full speed ahead and continue to execute the work of the task force,\u201d a spokesperson for the department told Indianz.Com. It’s not clear why the council was described as a “task force” by the spokesperson.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nWhen pressed again to explain what the White House Council on Native American Affairs is doing for tribes and their citizens, the spokesperson pointed to the executive order that established the entity. The executive order was signed by former president Barack Obama<\/a> — way back in June 2013.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n“Per the executive order, Secretary Bernhardt is the chairman of the council, and under his leadership the council continues to help drive administration policy priorities supporting Indian Country, including economic development and rural prosperity, energy development, infrastructure, public health, cultural resources, public safety, veterans\u2019 affairs and education & workforce development,” the spokesperson said.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

In endorsing Donald Trump, a prominent tribal leader touted the revival of the White House Council on Native American Affairs as a positive step. But a major detail was left out. #RNC2020<\/a> #MyronLizer<\/a> #TylerFish<\/a> #NativeVote<\/a> #NativeVote20<\/a> #NativeVote2020<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/MFOkSCalSZ<\/a><\/p>— indianz.com (@indianz) September 1, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>