Peter MacDonald (Navajo leader)

Peter MacDonald, Sr.
MacDonald in 2021
Chairman of the Navajo Nation
In office January 10, 1987 – February 1989
Vice President	Johnny Thompson
Preceded by	Peterson Zah
Succeeded by	Leonard Haskie
In office January 10, 1971 – January 15, 1983
Vice President	Wilson Skeet (1971-1979) Frank E. Paul (1979-1982)
Preceded by	Raymond Nakai
Succeeded by	Peterson Zah
President of the Navajo Code Talker Association
In office February 2012 – August 2022
Chairman of the Navajo Code Talkers Museum
Incumbent
Assumed office August 2022
Personal details
Born	Hashkasilt Begay (1928-12-16) December 16, 1928 (age 95) Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, United States
Nationality	American Navajo Nation
Political party	Republican
Residence	Tuba City, Arizona
Education	Bacone College, University of Oklahoma (BSEE), University of California, Los Angeles
Occupation	Public speaker, Engineer (formerly)
Military service
Branch/service	United States Marine Corps Navajo Code Talkers
Years of service	1944–1946
Rank	Corporal
Unit	6th Marine Division
Battles/wars	World War II Pacific Theater

Peter MacDonald (born December 16, 1928) is a Native American politician and the only four term Chairman of the Navajo Nation. MacDonald was born in Arizona, U.S. and served the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II as a Navajo Code Talker. He was first elected Navajo Tribal Chairman in 1970.

In 1989, MacDonald was removed from office by the Navajo Tribal Council, pending the results of federal criminal investigations headed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. MacDonald was sent to federal prison in 1990 for violations of US law and subsequently convicted of more U.S. federal crimes, including fraud, extortion, riot, bribery, and corruption. He was later pardoned.^[1]

MacDonald is married to Wanda MacDonald, and has five children with her. He also has nine grandchildren.^[2]