Native Americans condemn Pentagon move to preserve Wounded Knee medals [View all]

Source: Reuters

September 27, 2025 2:52 PM EDT Updated 4 hours ago


WASHINGTON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The National Congress of American Indians strongly condemned on Saturday a Pentagon review that decided against revoking medals awarded to U.S. soldiers at the 1890 Battle of Wounded Knee, an event which many historians consider a massacre.

"Celebrating war crimes is not patriotic. This decision undermines truth-telling, reconciliation, and the healing that Indian Country and the United States still need," Larry Wright Jr., the Congress' executive director, said in a statement.

The Battle of Wounded Knee, also known as the Wounded Knee Massacre, took place on Dec. 29, 1890, in South Dakota, when U.S. soldiers killed and wounded more than 300 Lakota Sioux men, women and children.

Lloyd Austin, who was the Biden administration's defense secretary, had ordered a review of the military honors but had not made a final decision before leaving office in January.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/native-americans-condemn-pentagon-move-preserve-wounded-knee-medals-2025-09-27/