Indian Country regularly interacts with a multitude of federal departments and organizations, including the Interior, Justice, and Health and Human Services Departments. Around 20 different federal entities have a longstanding, direct influence in Indian Country. As a new administration, led by President-elect Donald Trump, is shaping up, it is essential to critically review the various nominees due to the immense power they wield over these federal departments.
There has been apprehension about the nominations of several candidates for cabinet secretary positions, notably Matt Gaetz and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump’s initial nomination of Matt Gaetz for the position of Attorney General led to both surprise and worry. However, his decision to withdraw from the process within a week of his nomination on November 13, 204, was deemed a positive outcome for America at large by many.
From an Administration focusing primarily on Indian Affairs, Gaetz’s nomination and subsequent withdrawal were met with significant attention. The Justice Department plays a pivotal role in managing serious issues such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis. This issue, involving the epidemic rates at which Native American men and women disappear, often associated with human trafficking, requires serious, moral leadership.
Gaetz, mired in controversy due to alleged improprieties, including charges of paying underage individuals for sex and illegitimately supplying drugs, was an unsuitable candidate for assuming responsibility over such grave matters. The media’s proactivity in highlighting Gaetz’s questionable conduct played a role in keeping his potential authority in check.
In a political landscape where Republicans hold sway over the presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court, the media’s role as a guardian of democracy is more critical than ever. President Trump’s choice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) to head the Health and Human Services Department has also sparked worry.
The HHS serves as the overseer for the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Administration for Native Americans (ANA). This department, with its colossal workforce of over 80,000 individuals and a projected 2025 budget of $1.7 trillion, is of great importance. RFK Jr.’s lacuna in experience in healthcare and management career has raised many brows.
RFK Jr.’s stance on vaccines, which dismisses scientific evidence and the universally accepted view of their life-saving potential, is particularly troublesome. Research carried out and published in notable medical journals like The Lancet suggests that vaccines have saved over 154 million lives in the past fifty years, roughly equivalent to one life every ten seconds. This evidence is starkly contradictory to RFK Jr.’s unfounded opinions.
Moreover, Kennedy’s belief against the use of fluoride in drinking water is based on questionable claims of its impact on the IQ of children. This contradicts established scientific findings, further amplifying concerns about his suitability for the role. Although decisions for water fluoridation are usually made by local and state level governments, the gravity of his assertions given his potential role is deeply troubling due to their lack of scientific validity.
On the other hand, Trump’s selection of North Dakota’s Governor, Doug Burgum, to succeed outgoing Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), seems to be a silver lining among these contentious choices. Burgum, who has been at the helm of North Dakota since 2016, seems to be a solid pick for this key role.
The Interior Department, integral to Indian Country, hosts agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, Office of Special Trustee, and Bureau of Land Management. A consistent aspect of Trump’s campaign was his push for financial solutions achieved through higher tariffs and local oil production, summarized by the statement ‘Drill, baby, drill’.
Indications are that Burgum espouses this charge and will work towards implementing Trump’s energies policies within the Interior Department. In the previous Trump era, Native leaders were informed that approximately 20% of untouched U.S. energy reserves lie within tribal lands. It will be important to keenly observe how Burgum navigates the use of these tribal energy resources.
These resources should be managed mindfully, avoiding exploitation and avoiding health hazards. Evident from the history of uranium mining on the Navajo lands that led to an alarming surge in cancer cases, the balance between energy extraction and its impact on the health and environment in these regions is absolutely critical.
In sharp contrast to Trump’s claims, the Biden-Harris presidency oversaw an increase in domestic oil production compared to Trump’s first term. This makes the repeated criticism by Trump’s administration of the Biden-Harris energy policies somewhat ironic. However, relieved from the prospect of having Gaetz at the helm of the Justice Department, there are fresh concerns about RFK Jr.’s candidacy for the head of HHS due to his lack of health-related qualifications and promotion of harmful misinformation.
Hopefully, for the sake of Native Americans, Burgum will follow a responsible and sensitive path, understanding the importance of both protecting sacred tribal locations and maintaining the improved tribal consultations built under the Biden-Harris era. As the Interior Secretary, he must strike a delicate balance between energy exploration and preservation of Indian Country’s cultural and environmental health.
Ultimately, within the intricate web of government bureaucracy and tribal rights, there’s a profound interconnectedness that calls for responsible and sensitive leadership. It’s vital to remember the universal truth that ‘We are all related’, as we navigate these complicated times.