BIG HORN COUNTY — The Trump administration has flagged two exhibits at Montana's Little Bighorn National Monument as non-compliant, targeting displays that honor tribal sacrifices and reflect on the historic battle known as Custer's Last Stand.
The order follows President Trump's promise to restore "truth and sanity to American history," but critics view it as an attempt to silence important Indigenous perspectives from the nation's historical narrative.
Watch people talk about what the Native American history means to them:
At Little Bighorn Battlefield, where history runs deep in the valley where the famous battle occurred, the controversy has stirred strong emotions among Native American community members.
"Everything with the battle, where it happened, it was here in this valley where it happened," Keianna Cachora, who works at the Custer Battlefield Trading Post, said Sunday.
For Cachora, the history at the Little Bighorn Battlefield is deeply personal.
"Without these teachings, I wouldn't know who I was, it's only recently that I've started to get more into my identity — as a Native person, as an Indigenous person," Cachora said.
The Trump administration's move targets signage describing broken promises to Native American tribes and references to the loss of Indigenous culture and language under boarding school systems.
"It bothers me really deeply," Cachora said.
She calls the action an attempt to erase Native history.
"It's disturbing, disgusting, and wrong. You should not erase other people's history because it makes you uncomfortable," Cachora said.
Cachora believes the story must remain accessible to all visitors.
"Other people need to know this too. We're not a thing of the past. We're here, we're present, and we've been here for a really long time and we'll be here for a long time to come," Cachora said.
Lucy Real Bird, an educator at Crow Agency Public Schools, views preserving Indigenous history as a responsibility she won't abandon.
"We're still going to continue teaching our language, teaching our history, being who we are as Apsáalooke's, as Indigenous people, and the original people of this land," Real Bird said.
Even if the controversial signage disappears from the monument, Real Bird emphasized the community's resilience.
"We're still here, we never left," Real Bird said.
The educators and community members remain committed to sharing their history regardless of federal policy changes.
"We're going to keep telling our story. This victory happened 150 years ago, and they're welcome to join us because we're going to have a victory," Real Bird said.
