Hegseth’s Pentagon ready to cut ties with the Boy Scouts over perceived wokeness and ‘attacking boy-friendly spaces’
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants the U.S. military to cut all ties with Scouting America, the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts, according to a new report.
Hegseth said the military is planning to sever ties with the organization, claiming it is no longer a meritocracy and is designed to “attack boy-friendly spaces,” according to a draft memo to Congress obtained by NPR. Scouting America, which “aims to prepare young people for lives of impact and purpose,” was founded in 1910 and has more than one million youth members, according to its website.
The military has provided support to the organization for more than a century.
In the draft memo, which has not been sent, Hegseth reportedly attacked the organization for being “genderless” and for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. Hegseth also accused the group of failing to “cultivate masculine values,” NPR reports.
The proposal reviewed by NPR states that scouts will no longer be allowed to meet at military installations in the U.S. or abroad. Hegseth also called for the Pentagon to end aid to the National Jamboree, a 10-day Scouting America event held in West Virginia, the outlet reports.
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The Pentagon could cut ties with Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts, according to a new report. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
The event, which happens roughly every four years, can draw as many as 20,000 scouts. President Donald Trump spoke at the National Jamboree in 2017, during his first term.
Congress requires the Pentagon to provide aid for the event, but the defense secretary can block support if he determines it could impede national security, NPR reports. Hegseth reportedly invoked this issue in his memo, arguing that diverting resources to the National Jamboree could harm national security.
It’s unclear how Congress will react to the proposal. The issue has also caused friction within the Pentagon and received pushback from Navy Secretary John Phelan, who said the proposal could be “too restrictive,” according to NPR.
“Passive support to Scouting America through access to military installations and educational opportunities aboard said installations serve as a crucial recruiting and community engagement tool for the [Navy],” Phelan wrote in another memo reviewed by NPR. “Prohibition of access could be detrimental to recruitment and accession efforts across the department.”
Scouting America is “surprised and disappointed by today’s news about the potential policy change,” a spokesperson told The Independent.
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President Donald Trump spoke at the National Boy Scout Jamboree in 2017 in West Virginia. (AFP via Getty Images)
“Scouts honor and look up to our service men and women,” the spokesperson said. “We share the same dedication to God and country. Scouts proudly wear the American flag on their sleeves, and many go on to trade their Scout uniforms for the uniforms of our nation’s military.”
The spokesperson noted that Scouting America is a “nonpartisan organization” and has “always supported our military and our military families.”
A Department of Defense official told The Independent the agency “will not comment on leaked documents that we cannot authenticate and that may be pre-decisional.”
This memo comes after NBC News reported in April that one of Hegseth’s top advisers wanted to cut ties with Scouting America, claiming it is too “woke.” Two months earlier, the organization had changed its name, citing an increased focus on inclusivity.
The memo obtained by NPR also appears to mirror Hegseth’s rhetoric in a speech to hundreds of top military leaders in Quantico, Virginia, two months ago. There, the defense secretary raged against “woke garbage” and “stupid rules of engagement.” He also announced plans to roll back troops’ abilities to report unequal treatment based on race, gender, sexuality or religion.
