❓WHAT HAPPENED: Scouting America, formerly the Boy Scouts of America, faces potential severance of military ties due to concerns raised by War Secretary Pete Hegseth about the organization’s direction and values.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Scouting America, War Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the Pentagon.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Draft memo obtained in 2025; potential policy changes could impact military support for events such as the National Jamboree in West Virginia.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The organization once endorsed by President Theodore Roosevelt no longer supports the future of American boys.” – Pete Hegseth
🎯IMPACT: The proposed policy change could end over a century of military support for Scouting America, affecting recruitment and logistical aid.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth may sever the military ties of Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts, according to a draft memo. Hegseth allegedly criticized the now-woke group for being “genderless” and failing to uphold “masculine values.”
The memo claims that Scouting America has moved away from its traditional merit-based structure and accuses the group of fostering “gender confusion.” Hegseth wrote, “The organization once endorsed by President Theodore Roosevelt no longer supports the future of American boys.” His proposal, which has not yet been sent to Congress, could end military logistical and medical support for the National Jamboree and prohibit Scout meetings on military installations.
The Pentagon has declined to comment on the memo, saying it “cannot authenticate” the document and noting that it may still be “pre-decisional.” Current law requires the military to provide trucks, ambulances, and medical personnel for the Jamboree, but Hegseth could withhold assistance if deemed “detrimental to national security.”
Hegseth, a vocal critic of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and “woke” policies in the armed forces, has previously opposed the Scouts’ decision to admit girls and change the organization’s name. In 2018, he said the group had been “cratering itself for quite some time.”
Since becoming War Secretary, Hegseth has taken steps to remove DEI programs, enforce stricter military standards, and promote a “warrior ethos,” with recruitment reportedly rising under his leadership. He has also set deadlines for transgender service members to leave the military and dismissed officers he deemed insufficiently aligned with his policies.
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.