Scout executive: Sorry for Trump speech

NEW YORK — The Boy Scouts’ chief executive apologized Thursday to members of the scouting community who were offended by the aggressive political rhetoric in 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 spoke to nearly 40,000 Scouts and adults gathered in West Virginia.

Other U.S. presidents have delivered nonpolitical speeches at past jamborees. To the dismay of many parents and former Scouts, Trump, a Republican, promoted his political agenda and derided his rivals, inducing some of the Scouts in attendance to boo at the mention of Barack Obama, his Democratic predecessor.

“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,” Surbaugh said.