• The Pentagon will not revoke Medals of Honor for soldiers involved in the 1890 Wounded Knee incident, labeled a massacre.
• Native American leaders, including the National Congress of American Indians, condemned the Pentagon's decision as a celebration of war crimes.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the decision is final, asserting that the soldiers "deserve those medals."
• The historical massacre led to the deaths of more than 300 Lakota Sioux individuals, marking a dark chapter in U.S. history.
• Efforts to commemorate diverse histories have been rolled back by the Pentagon under Hegseth's leadership.

The Pentagon announced on September 26, 2025, that the Medals of Honor awarded to 20 soldiers for their actions during the 1890 Battle of Wounded Knee will remain intact. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that “their place in our nation’s history is no longer up for debate,” despite historical accounts labeling the event as a massacre where over 300 Lakota Sioux were killed, including women and children, while trying to surrender according to latimes.

This decision has been met with strong condemnation from Indigenous leaders, particularly the National Congress of American Indians. Executive Director Larry Wright Jr. stated, “Celebrating war crimes is not patriotic,” arguing that the decision obstructs necessary reconciliation efforts between Indian Country and the United States according to reuters, aljazeera, and trtglobal.

Hegseth's remarks followed a review initiated by his predecessor, Lloyd Austin III, who had ordered a comprehensive assessment of the medals in response to a congressional recommendation. Austin did not finalize the evaluation before leaving office, and Hegseth’s current decision starkly contrasts with Austin's approach according to reuters and latimes.

The historical context of the Wounded Knee Massacre cannot be understated, as it marked a pivotal moment in the end of the Indian Wars, a period characterized by forced land cessions and the establishment of reservations. In 1990, Congress expressed "deep regret" for this tragedy, and many advocates argue that current commemorations should reflect this acknowledgment according to trtglobal and aljazeera.

Adding to the controversy, Hegseth has initiated a rollback of diversity and inclusion efforts within the Pentagon, including the cancellation of commemorations for cultural history months, which critics argue diminishes visibility for the historical narratives of marginalized communities according to reuters and trtglobal.