Hegseth Defends Wounded Knee Medals Amid Historic Controversy

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has decided that 20 soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for their involvement in the 1890 Wounded Knee massacre will retain their medals. The announcement was made in a video posted on social media, highlighting Hegseth’s stance against previous Congressional recommendations to review or rescind the medals due to the historical context of the events, where the U.S. Army killed approximately 250 Lakota Sioux, including women and children.

Hegseth justified the decision by asserting that the soldiers “deserve those medals,” adding that their historical significance is “no longer up for debate.” This position aims to solidify a narrative that distorts the brutal reality of the massacre, which the military still chooses to commemorate with regiment insignia featuring Native American imagery.

The move follows a previous recommendation by Congress in 2022, which reflected a growing acknowledgment of the atrocities committed against Native Americans. In stark contrast, Hegseth’s determination to uphold the awards is part of a broader effort to rewrite uncomfortable truths about American history, a campaign supported by President Donald Trump’s executive order earlier this year to “Restore Truth and Sanity to American History.”

Additionally, Hegseth’s policies have reignited numerous controversial military traditions, including reversing the renaming of Army bases linked to Confederate figures and restoring monuments that glorify such problematic histories. Notably, these actions directly undermine inclusive assessments of America’s past, instead favoring a retrograde view which disregards Indigenous suffering.

The implications of Hegseth’s decisions resonate deeply within the military and American society, sparking debates about historical accuracy versus nostalgic nationalism. Critics argue that preserving a narrative that honors the perpetrators of massacres ultimately perpetuates systemic racism and marginalization of Native communities, undermining efforts to acknowledge and rectify historical injustices.