Scout leader apologizes for Trump remarks
Chief scout executive regrets ‘that politics were inserted’ into jamboree program
NEW YORK— The Boy Scouts of America’s chief executive has apologized to members of the scouting community who were offended by the aggressive political rhetoric in U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent speech to the scouts’ national jamboree.
The apology came in a statement from chief scout executive Michael Surbaugh, three days after Trump’s speech to nearly 40,000 scouts and adults gathered in West Virginia.
“I want to extend my sincere apologies to those in our scouting family who were offended by the political rhetoric that was inserted into the jamboree. That was never our intent,” Surbaugh wrote in a message posted online.
That was a break from the scouts’ earlier statements about Trump’s speech, issued the day after. Those merely noted that the scouts were “respectful of the wide variety of viewpoints in this country,” but made no mention of what Trump actually said.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday afternoon.
Presidents have a standing invite to the National Scout Jamboree, a gathering that draws tens of thousands every four years. In the past, those presidential speeches dealt with broad themes such as service, cooperation and the evils of drug use.
Trump’s talk in Mount Hope, W.Va., began with a similar message — “never quit. Persevere. Never, ever quit” — but then it veered away toward other themes.
Trump said he wouldn’t talk about politics: “I said, who the hell wants to speak about politics when I’m in front of the boy scouts? Right?”
But he did.
Trump called the news media “fake news” and said the media would underplay the size of this crowd — as if the scouts were a crowd at one of his campaign rallies. Trump told the scouts about watching the U.S. map turn red on election night, and blasted former president Barack Obama for never attending a jamboree. Some in the crowd booed.
Trump also told stories about events rarely discussed from the rostrum at a jamboree, such as a New York cocktail party — “the hottest people in New York were at this party,” he said — and a friend who got rich in real estate.
“He went out and bought a big yacht, and he had a very interesting life,” Trump said. “I won’t go any
“Who the hell wants to speak about politics when I’m in front of the boy scouts? Right?” DONALD TRUMP TO NATIONAL SCOUT JAMBOREE
more than that, because you’re boy scouts so I’m not going to tell you what he did.”
Other U.S. presidents have delivered non-political speeches at past jamborees. To the dismay of many parents and former scouts, Trump, a Republican, promoted his political agenda and derided his rivals.
Surbaugh said, “We sincerely regret that politics were inserted into the scouting program.” With files from the Washington Post