A few days after President Trump's nakedly partisan and colorful speech to the children and teens gathered in West Virginia for the Boy Scout National Jamboree, Michael Surbaugh, the head of Boy Scouts of America, issued an apology "to those in our Scouting family who were offended by the political rhetoric that was inserted." The Boy Scouts is a nonpartisan organization, he said, and "we sincerely regret that politics were inserted into the Scouting program." In a July 25 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump told a different version of events from the night before, according to a transcript published by Politico on Tuesday.
Trump told Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Gerard Baker, Baker's deputy, and three political reporters that he drew the "biggest crowd they've ever had" at the Jamboree, then asked what the Journal interviewers thought. "I thought it was an interesting speech in the context of the Boy Scouts," one WSJ member replied, mentioning the "feedback from former Scouts." Trump asked if these Scouts liked the speech, and a reporter said the reaction "seemed mixed," drawing a laugh from Trump and an assurance that "they loved it" and there "was a standing ovation from the time I walked out on the stage." Trump continued:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Antony Gormley's Time Horizon – a 'judgmental army' of 100 cast-iron menThe Week Recommends Sculptures are 'everymen questioning the privilege of their surroundings' at the Norfolk stately home
-
'King's horses take free rein through London'Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
-
Is pop music now too reliant on gossip?Talking Point Taylor Swift's new album has prompted a flurry of speculation over who she is referring to in her songs
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain PrizeSpeed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 winsspeed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughterspeed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopicsSpeed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 GrammysSpeed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
