Transparency in Action: President Nygren Shares Financial Reports in Face of Council, Public Accusations

My Navajo People,

I hope you are all enjoying this Holiday Season. I have heard many of your concerns related to the ongoing accusations of alleged “mismanagement of funds” and the recent budget disputes.

Therefore, I am releasing financial figures which gives the Navajo people an idea of how much Council Delegates and myself as Navajo Nation President have spent in Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. These figures includes base salary, stipends, mileage reimbursements and travel expenses.

I represent 110 chapters, my job is to represent the Navajo Nation at all levels of government – local, state and federal.

As many of you may remember, I asked Controller Sean McCabe about a year ago during one of my State of the Nation Addresses to release this data to the public as part of my commitment to be more transparent and accountable to you regarding spending. I further requested that this information be provided to the public on a quarterly basis. That request was never honored.

I do believe the Navajo people have a right to see how much of their funds is being spent. I hope that through my efforts to release this information, I can begin rebuilding the trust and confidence of the Navajo people who have questioned my administration due to the misinformation fueled by the Navajo Nation Council.

Upon reviewing the figures, it becomes clear that many Navajo Nation Council Delegates have incurred travel and related expenses comparable to, if not greater than, my own. Any allegations that I have “overspent” or “misused funds” are categorically false and serve only to deflect attention from the spending practices of members of the Navajo Nation Council.

I have stated this many times – each delegate represents only a limited number of chapters, specific geographic areas, and a defined constituency. In contrast, I represent all 110 Chapters of the Navajo Nation. Despite this broader responsibility, the Navajo Nation Council collectively spends 20 times more than the President. Their presence, responsibility and priority is with their legislative communities, whereas the Navajo Nation President represents all 110 chapters.

My travel and expenditures are directly tied to my duties and responsibilities to serve our entire Nation effectively. Transparency and accountability remain central to how I conduct my work, and I will continue to ensure that every action I take reflects the trust placed in me by the Navajo people.

-Dr. Buu Nygren, Navajo Nation President