Stephen Colbert turns Trump's toxic speech to the Boy Scouts into an updated Boy Scout oath

Stephen Colbert updates the Boy Scout oath

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/The Late Show With Stephen Colbert)

last updated 26 July 2017

President Trump's speech in West Virginia on Monday to the Boy Scout Jamboree was unusual, and in some regards, kind of shocking. On Tuesday, The Late Show kicked off with a version that might send chills down your spine.

Stephen Colbert was bemused by Trump's baldly political, sometimes partisan speech, but maybe not by why Trump addressed the jamboree. "It's no surprise he went to the Boy Scouts — with all his scandals, he needs someone who's good at putting out fires," he joked. The Boy Scouts is a nonpartisan organization for boys and teens, but, of course, Trump "did his thing," Colbert sighed, beginning an annotated walk through the unorthodox address, from Trump bragging about the crowd size to his strange aside about being able to say "Merry Christmas" again, to his lighthearted threats to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.

After dumping on the uncynical civic spirit of the Boy Scouts, Trump — who was never a Scout — began reciting the Boy Scout oath, but he stopped short at the word "loyalty," joking that he and America could use more of it. "We could use more loyalty," Colbert agreed. "For instance, that guy on stage just threatened to fire the guy he said was doing a good job. And then — as if Trump's insecurities and personal obsessions were not enough to pour poison into the ears of children — he told them this story." After Trump's tale of a ruined millionaire and his sex yacht, Colbert was ... inspired. "Now that they've heard from the president, the Scouts have updated their oath," he said, putting on a neck scarf, holding up three fingers, and taking Trump's speech to its logical, absurd conclusion. Watch below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.