Boy Scouts and their moms are disgusted by Trump's speech
People are not pleased that President Trump decided to unload the details of his electoral victory and political battles onto America's youth during his speech Monday night at the quadrennial Boy Scout Jamboree. In Trump's freewheeling speech before 30,000 Boy Scouts, he jokingly threatened a Republican senator and his Health and Human Services secretary over the ObamaCare repeal; criticized Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama; and pondered whether the "fake media" would miscount his "record-setting" crowd.
The official Boy Scouts of America Facebook page quickly filled up with comments expressing outrage and concern. "I have no problem with a president speaking to scouts but what occurred at Jamboree today was reprehensible ... One of the main concerns that leaders have is trying to recruit more scouts from minority communities; that effort was dealt a serious blow today," a father of three Scouts wrote. "As a Cub Scout den leader and mom of 2 scouts, I am livid," another commenter posted. "You owe all of us, especially the scouts who were present, a sincere apology and assurance that you are not okay with what happened."
Several other commenters demanded an apology and questioned how Trump's speech jives with Boy Scout values. "As the mother of two soon-to-be Eagles and the wife of an Eagle Scout, this man goes against everything scouting stands for," a commenter said. An Eagle Scout and 1985 Jamboree attendee posted that he was "still awaiting a statement denouncing the president's speech and his attempt to turn the BSA into the Trump Youth."
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.
On Tuesday, Boy Scouts released a statement responding to the Trump backlash. "The Boy Scouts of America is wholly non-partisan and does not promote any one position, product, service, political candidate, or philosophy," the statement said. "The invitation for the sitting U.S. president to visit the National Jamboree is a long-standing tradition and is in no way an endorsement of any party or specific policies."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published