No.
A United States president has never formally apologized for the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre that resulted in the deaths of about 300 Native American men, women and children in southwestern South Dakota, most of whom were unarmed.
In 1990, the Democratic-led Congress passed a resolution expressing “deep regret” for the killings on behalf of the United States to the descendants of the victims and their tribal communities. The resolution also called for Congress “to acknowledge and learn from our history.”
In 2020, then-candidate Joe Biden said it was “abhorrent” that soldiers involved in the killings received Medals of Honor. The Biden administration had ordered a review of the honors given out, but no details on the review were publicly released.
On Sept. 26, 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that 20 U.S. soldiers would keep their medals.
“We’re making it clear that they deserve those medals,” Hegseth said.
This fact brief responds to conversations such as this one.
Sources
History.com, What happened at the Wounded Knee Massacre?
Congress.gov, Senate Concurrent Resolution 153
History, Art & Archives of U.S. House of Representatives, 101st Congress
Native News Online, Four Directions native vote calls on President Biden to remove the Medals of Honor
Reuters, Native Americans condemn Pentagon move to preserve Wounded Knee medals
The Guardian, Hegseth says Wounded Knee massacre soldiers will keep Medals of Honor
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