Boy Scouts apologize for Trump’s speech

The head of the Boy Scouts apologizes for a speech President Trump delivered earlier this week that was peppered with political attacks, causing widespread outrage.

Facing an angry backlash from parents and former members, the chief executive of the Boy Scouts of America apologized Thursday for political remarks made by President Donald Trump at the organization’s national jamboree this week, during which the commander-inchief crowed over his election victory, attacked the news media and criticized Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama.

Michael Surbaugh, the organization’s chief, said in a statement Thursday that it was “never our intent” for the national jamboree to become a venue for partisan political attacks.

“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,” he wrote. He added, “We sincerely regret that politics were inserted into the Scouting program.”

Speaking to a crowd of some 40,000 Scouts, volunteers and others in West Virginia on Monday, Trump attacked the “fake media” and celebrated his “incredible” election victory.

Trump mocked Clinton for losing Michigan in the election, and many in the crowd booed her name. He regaled the Scouts with stories from a New York cocktail party. And he drew attention to the fact that Obama had declined to attended the National Jamboree during his years in office. (Obama stayed away from the event over the Boy Scouts’ ban on gay and transgender Scouts and scoutmasters, which has since changed.)

At one point, the crowd erupted into chants of “We love Trump!” and booed Obama.

Trump’s remarks prompted an immediate and scathing backlash against the Boy Scouts, which are suffering from a steep decline in membership.

Brian Alexander, who earned the Eagle rank as a teenager in Ohio, told the Times in an interview this week that he considered Trump’s remarks on Monday “a disgrace.”

“Based on my experience with Scouting, the point is you’re supposed to grow up to be someone not like Donald Trump,” he said. “You’re supposed to grow up to be someone like John McCain or Barack Obama.”