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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that 20 soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor for actions at the 1890 Wounded Knee incident will retain their medals. The review, initiated by his predecessor, followed efforts to rescind the awards due to the event being a massacre of Native Americans. Hegseth cited a review panel's conclusion that the soldiers "rightfully keep their medals." This decision aligns with recent actions by Hegseth and President Trump to reinterpret and preserve historical narratives, including restoring Confederate-linked names and symbols in the military.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.