U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has been challenged by President Donald Trump, who believed her claims of being an Indian were specious and dared her to take a DNA test to prove her legitimacy as having Native American identity.
During her 2012 Senate run, Warren was accused by her opponent of lying about her heritage as a way to gain financial help for her academics. Trump picked up on the accusations, often calling Warren “Pocahontas.”
He even promised to donate one million dollars to a charity if she took the DNA test proving she had Indian ancestry.
Hey, @realDonaldtRump!#RT @kylegriffin1
Flashback. July 5. Trump on Elizabeth Warren: "I will give you a million dollars to your favorite charity, paid for by Trump, if you take the test and it shows you're an Indian." (via Fox) pic.twitter.com/5NdSWhGFaA— McSpocky™ 👽🖖 (@mcspocky) October 15, 2018
Warren released the full report on her website on Monday. Despite saying most of her identifiable ancestry is European, the analysis also identified five genetic segments as Native American in origin at high confidence.
Warren tweeted: “By the way, @realDonaldTrump: Remember saying on 7/5 that you’d give $1M to a charity of my choice if my DNA showed Native American ancestry? I remember – and here’s the verdict. Please send the check to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center.”
The DNA test released by Warren has angered some Native Americans. They complain that the genetic analysis cheapens the identities of tribal members with deeper ties to the Indian past.
Warren was born in Oklahoma, where more than 7 percent of the population identifies as Native American. But she’s not a member of any tribe, and many Indians take exception to anyone who claims to be part Indian without proven links to a tribe, especially for political purposes.
Brandon Scott is a member of the Cherokee Nation and the editor of tribe’s newspaper. He told the Associated Press that Warren’s genetic analysis adds to that misconception that a DNA test is all that’s required establish Native American identity.
Many tribes require proven lineage and a certain amount of Indian blood.
When asked about the DNA reports on Monday, Trump brushed it off.
But it looks like Warren won’t be letting the president off so easy.
On her twitter, she responded with a video that says “This is what lying looks like”. And there is emerging speculation that Warren is seriously considering running against Trump.
But what about the DNA results? Do you believe that Warren is really has an Indian heritage. Should Trump pay up?
Or is this controversy even important, considering the other major issues in American politics today?
