The elder Anoatubby, 80, will resign at noon on June 26, and his son will assume the role until next year's gubernatorial elections. He wrote on Facebook that he decided to retire after discussions with family members, adding he will entrust the tribe's leadership to a new generation.
"This moment is bittersweet as I reflect on a lifetime of service to this mighty tribal nation," Anoatubby wrote. "However, I have full confidence in the servant leaders, currently elected, appointed and employed to continue the momentum we have forged together and stay true to our mission, to enhance the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people.
"The strength of the Chickasaw Nation lives and breathes within every Chickasaw. Chikasha poya – we are Chickasaw, and united, we will continue to thrive."
Chickasaw Nation citizens first elected Anoatubby as the tribe's 32nd governor in 1987. Before that, he served as the nation's first lieutenant governor from 1979 to 1987. He has served ten consecutive four-year terms since then.
Throughout that time period, the tribe has prospered economically.
When Anoatubby took office, the tribe said it employed 250 people and had less than $500,000 in a federal trust fund. Former Gov. Overton James told him at the time the nation was on a path to bankruptcy in five years. Now, it employs more than 15,000 and owns more than 100 businesses, ranging from a chocolate factory to a horse racing track and one of Oklahoma's largest indoor waterparks.
Chickasaw Nation's trust fund balance is $26.2 million, and its economic impact in Oklahoma is more than $5.5 billion, according to Anoatubby, but it also stretches across the US.
"Nationally, we support more than 35,000 jobs, and our nationwide economic impact is $8.2 billion," Anoatubby said during the tribe's 2025 State of the Nation address. "We're well-positioned to bring our vision for the future into fruition."
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond released a statement Monday praising Anoatubby's tenure.
"Gov. Anoatubby is one of the greatest governors – of any government – in Oklahoma history," Drummond wrote. "His decades of service to the Chickasaw Nation and to all Oklahomans reflect a rare combination of vision, integrity and genuine dedication to the people he served. He leaves behind a legacy of prosperity and opportunity that speaks for itself."
U.S. Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, wrote on Facebook Anoatubby's retirement is "more than earned."
"During Governor Anoatubby's time in office, the Chickasaw Nation has utilized its sovereign authority to put in place countless health, educational, and economic resources benefiting not only the Chickasaw people but all Oklahomans," Lankford wrote. "I'm grateful that during my time in office, I have been able to count Governor Anoatubby as a friend and someone I could call upon to talk through important issues impacting our state."
Chris Anoatubby will be sworn in as governor on June 26. He will then appoint a replacement "by and with the advice and consent of the Tribal Legislature," according to a 1984 amendment of the Chickasaw Nation constitution.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
