Interior Department withdraws opinion supporting UKB claims in Oklahoma

The US Department of the Interior withdrew a 17 January 2025 opinion recognising the United Keetoowah Band as a successor to the historic Cherokee Nation, issuing its reversal on 22 May. The change weakens the legal basis for the UKB's proposed casino in Tahlequah; the tribe said it would seek judicial review, while Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. welcomed the decision.