MARKSVILLE, LA – Last week, President Donald J. Trump held a historic summit with the Chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana Marshall Pierite, weeks after the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe announced they would be formally nominating President Trump for the honor of the Nobel Peace Prize.
An article advocating for greater economic cooperation between America’s Indian tribes and the U.S. government by Chairman Pierite reportedly caught the attention of President Trump earlier this year, prompting the summit. During their meeting, President Trump and Chairman Pierite discussed the unique position of Indian sovereignty and authority over tribal lands, and how to capitalize on the opportunity for the mutual benefit of the tribes and the American people.
“I believe we can foster a new spirit of cooperation that will see the expansion of energy production plants, data centers, housing, and technology through partnership between the federal government and Indian Country,” Chairman Pierite said, adding that the cooperation between the Trump administration and various Indian tribes would be “a major catalyst for job creation and prosperity for both Native Americans and all Americans.”
“As someone who spent a lifetime in the construction industry, I recognize the serious obstacles that over-regulation poses in building any new facility or business in America,” President Trump said to Chairman Pierite.
“Tribal sovereignty poses a great opportunity to bypass these unreasonable hurdles and create a major economic boom in the public/private partnerships between our Native American tribes and our business community.”
During the meeting, President Trump reiterated his support for “self-determination and the sovereignty of the country’s Native American tribes” and hailed what Chairman Pierite called a “post-gaming economic development for Indian country.”
Because of President Trump’s forward-thinking leadership and the support of visionaries like Chairman Pierite, Native Americans will have opportunities to build lasting prosperity for their families and communities. Chairman Pierite sees this partnership as a coalition-building exercise to bring prosperity to all Native Americans – something he’s referred to as “taking our seat at the table.” Despite hardships Indian Country has faced historically, Chairman Pierite believes Native Americans are ready to prosper along with the rest of the United States.
The President also expressed gratitude to the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe for their recent announcement that, based on their status as a sovereign nation, the tribe would recommend President Trump to the Nobel Peace Prize committee. “President Donald Trump will be remembered as one of the most influential world leaders in history, recognized for his unwavering commitment to global leadership and peace,” Chairman Pierite said. “By brokering the Abraham Accords, facilitating economic normalization between Serbia and Kosovo, negotiating the peace treaty between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and mediating ceasefires between India and Pakistan and between Israel and Iran, no world leader has dedicated more time and effort to promoting global peace than President Donald Trump.”
Chairman Pierite is encouraging other Native American leaders and communities to join and support the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe as they do the foundational work that will lift up the entirety of America’s Indian Country.
The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe has already made strides in pursuing economic development opportunities on their own. Through its business ventures, the tribe is committed to fostering partnerships and developing economic prosperity on behalf of its tribal citizens. Current investments include manufacturing and textiles, public infrastructure projects and AI and technology developments.
Pierite convened a roundtable discussion last month that featured several Trump administration officials to help lay the groundwork for this developing alliance. Diane Cullo, assistant administrator for the Office of Native American Affairs at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), spoke at the summit, addressing dozens of tribal leaders who will form the core of this groundbreaking coalition.
“I believe President Trump’s vision during this administration emphasizes strong economic growth, deregulation, and the revitalization of communities that have long been forgotten. That vision resonates with many of us because tribal communities have known what it feels like to be overlooked. We are no longer asking for a seat at the table—we are taking our place at the table,” Chairman Pierite said.