Buu Van Nygren (born December 25, 1986) is the 10th President of the Navajo Nation. Nygren-Montoya received 34,890 votes, defeating the Nez-Abeyta campaign who received 31,339 votes in the 2022 election.[1][2] He was sworn in on January 10, 2023.[3]
Nygren was born on December 25, 1986, in Blanding, Utah. His mother is Navajo and his father is of Vietnamese descent.[4] Nygren is Táchiiʼnii clan. His mother gave birth to him at 15 and he never knew his father. When giving him a last name his mother misspelt the Vietnamese last name Nguyen as Nygren. He has no paternal clan since his father is not Navajo. He is therefore said to be born for Vietnamese when his clans are named.[5] He attended Red Mesa High School.[6] Nygren was the running mate of Joe Shirley Jr. in the 2018 Navajo Nation presidential election.[7] At 35 years of age, Nygren is the youngest person to have ever been elected President of the Navajo Nation.
Nygren received international media attention when he protested human remains being sent to the Moon as part of Peregrine Mission One. Nygren claimed that the moon is the "heritage" of the Navajo and other Indian nations and that sending human remains would be desceration of Indian spiritual property. Nygren also stated that NASA had coordinated with the Navajo on the 1998 Lunar Prospector mission, however, NASA has no jurisdiction over Peregrine as it is both launched and operated by private companies.[8]
On April 16, 2024, Nygren was accused by Navajo Nation Vice President Richelle Montoya, his 2022 running mate, of sexually harassing her during a meeting in August 2023. The President's office has previously been accused of fostering a culture of sexual abuse and violence towards women staffers.[9] This followed a separate accusation a month earlier in which a former male staffer accused Montoya of sexual harassment in January 2023.[10]
Nygren has denied the allegations and accused the Navajo Times of discrediting his administration.[11] In May 2024, three Navajo Nation Chapters drafted a resolution calling to place Nygren and several assistants on administrative leave. On June 14, 2024, Nygren issued a press release alleging the drafters of political motives.[12]
The accusation is currently being investigated by the Navajo Nation Attorney General's office.[13]
