Trump won 68% of the Native American vote

Even though the presidential election is now behind us, data about the candidates' performance continues to emerge. In this case, NBC's exit polls revealed that Donald Trump won 68% of the Native American vote. While the now president-elect made electoral gains with nearly all minorities, the data was surprising given that he won this demographic by a larger margin than among white voters overall.

Native Americans are especially distributed in states such as Arizona, Alaska, Wisconsin, Montana, South Dakota and North Carolina. Trump won each and every one of them. There are also large communities in Hawaii and New Mexico.

The GOP has a special relationship with the Lumbee tribe, the largest east of the Mississippi River. They are located in the Tar Heel State, precisely in Robeson County, where Trump won with 63.3% of the vote. Indeed, Robeson experienced a nine-point shift to the right over 2020, the largest rightward shift of any county in the state.

In September, Trump promised he would sign a bill to grant federal recognition to the Lumbee tribe, something they have been clamoring for for years as it would give them access to federal funds.

"As tribal leaders, we are simply trying to take care of our own people. We're tired of the same old same old, and there are a lot of people in our movement," former Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer expressed in this regard.

A similar scenario was experienced in South Dakota, where the nine counties with American Indian majorities shifted to the right. Also in Sioux County, which is located in North Dakota, has an 81 percent American Indian population. The county shifted 10 percentage points to the right, the largest swing among the state's 53 counties.

"Elsewhere — in states with large or small Native American populations — the story was much the same. New Mexico’s McKinley County, which is 81 percent Native American and home to members of several different tribes, shifted 14 points to the right. Minnesota’s Mahnomen County, which is 43 percent Native American, moved 7 points — the biggest shift of any county in the state," they reported from Politico.

Trump's joke about Elizabeth Warren and "Pocahontas"

Perhaps one of the most viral moments of the first Trump Administration featured Native Americans. It happened in November 2017 at the White House, when the president received a group of Navajo code talkers who served during World War II, helping to transmit secret messages that helped the United States and Allied powers during the war.

"You were here long before any of us," Trump began, then mentioned Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MS), who had claimed Indian ancestry on a law school board.

I just want to thank you because you are very, very special people. You were here long before any of us were here,” Trump said. “Although, we have a representative in Congress who has been here a long time … longer than you – they call her Pocahontas!", Trump joked.