Democrat Elizabeth Warren Apologizes to Cherokee Nation for DNA Test

By John Whitesides

WASHINGTON – Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. senator from Massachusetts, has issued an apology to the Cherokee Nation for her decision to take a DNA test aimed at substantiating her claims of Native American ancestry. The tribe confirmed the apology on Friday.

Warren reached out to Bill John Baker, the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, on Thursday to express her regret regarding the DNA test she took the previous year. Julie Hubbard, a spokesperson for the Cherokee Nation, stated that it was a brief and private conversation in which Warren acknowledged the confusion caused regarding tribal sovereignty and citizenship.

Hubbard noted that tribal leaders appreciated Warren’s clarification that she is not a citizen of the Cherokee Nation or any other tribal entity.

Warren’s choice to undergo the DNA test was met with criticism from tribal leaders and some fellow Democrats, particularly as it was seen as a response to Republican attacks questioning her heritage. One of her most vocal critics has been President Donald Trump, who often mocks her by referring to her as "Pocahontas."

The DNA test indicated that Warren has at least one Native American ancestor many generations back. However, Native American leaders criticized her for using the test to make claims about a tribal connection, emphasizing that cultural identity and sovereignty are equally important as genetic heritage, and that DNA tests do not grant tribal citizenship rights.

Concerns arose among Democrats that Warren was inadvertently aiding Republican narratives by responding to their criticisms in this manner.

Currently, Warren has established an exploratory committee to commence fundraising and staffing efforts for her 2020 presidential campaign, with an official announcement expected soon. During a campaign event in Sioux City, Iowa, last month, she told a concerned voter that after facing political attacks, she felt compelled to be transparent about her background.

"I am not a person of color. I am not a citizen of a tribe. Tribal citizenship is very different from ancestry. Tribes, and only tribes, determine tribal citizenship, and I respect that difference," Warren stated.