RedState reported in November how the Department of War, under Secretary Pete Hegseth’s leadership, announced it was preparing to end its partnership with Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America.
In Hegseth’s view, and the eyes of many Americans, it had become openly hostile to boys by failing to “cultivate masculine values,” and by fostering “gender confusion.” It was no longer merit-based, in his view, instead choosing to focus on DEI.
It was a belief that carried over from Hegseth’s days as a co-host on Fox & Friends Weekend, where he said in 2018 that “This is an institution the left didn’t control. They didn’t want to improve it. They wanted to destroy it or dilute it into something that stood for nothing.”
On Friday, however, Hegseth, an Iraq and Afghanistan combat veteran who was a major in the Army National Guard, announced that things were changing at Scouting America, with the goal to ultimately make the organization great – and more boy-centric – again.
SEE ALSO: Boy Scouts of America Introduces Its New ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ Badge
The news was first shared on the Dept of War’s website:
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth today announced that the War Department will conditionally continue to provide support to Scouting America — formerly the Boy Scouts of America — following the youth organization’s commitment to pull all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from its program.
[…]
“After 2012, however, the Boy Scouts lost their way, and a once-great organization became gravely wounded. [DEI] crept in, the name was changed to ‘Scouting America,’ girls were accepted [and] the focus on God as the ruler of the universe was watered down to include openness to humanism and Earth-centered pagan religions,” Hegseth said during his address.
The consideration in 2025 to cut ties with Scouting America stemmed from the Trump administration’s belief that the group was at odds with President Trump’s executive orders related to DEI:
The secretary said his motivation for cutting ties with the scouts was linked to what he said are the organization’s violations of President Donald J. Trump’s Jan. 21, 2025, Executive Order 14173, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”
“But, before making this big change, I decided to meet with the current scouting leadership to convey our deep concerns,” Hegseth said, adding that Scouting America eventually agreed to several “key reforms” based on a series of ongoing conversations between Scouting America, himself and other senior War Department officials.
The reforms, part of a signed memorandum of understanding between the Pentagon and the Scouts, are a good start, Hegseth observed:
“This includes reviewing and replacing politicized, divisive and discriminatory language throughout the organization, programs and all publications. No more DEI. Zero,” Hegseth said.
Scouting America has also agreed to discontinue its “citizenship in society” merit badge, which made it mandatory for those with the rank of Life Scout to “realize the benefits of diversity, equity, inclusion and ethical leadership,” prior to being allowed to advance to the rank of Eagle Scout, according to Scouting America’s official website.
The organization also changed a policy that didn’t distinguish between male and female participants’ biological sex at birth.
“Accordingly, Scouting America membership applications will continue to only provide ‘male’ and ‘female’ as sex designations. Scouting America will enact a policy that indicates that biological boys and biological girls will not be permitted to share intimate spaces, including toilets, showers and tents,” the MOU continues, adding that similar policies will be enacted toward scout leaders, volunteers, staff and any other individuals involved with the scouts.
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Also notable:
In exchange for Scouting America making all the aforementioned adjustments to its organization, the War Department will allow for “Scouting America activities to occur on U.S. military installations and in DOW facilities, with appropriate logistical services support, in the United States, its territories or in foreign countries as authorized and approved under applicable law and DOW policy,” per the MOU.
“Ideally, I believe the Boy Scouts should go back to being the Boy Scouts as originally founded: a group that develops boys into men,” Hegseth stated while noting periodic updates would be forthcoming on Scouting America’s adherence progress.
The Department of War has officially put Scouting America on notice.
It’s time to get back to basics — and DoW is leading the charge. pic.twitter.com/EnY9mvaFLX
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) February 27, 2026
Read the full announcement, which includes more details on the reforms agreed to, here.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s leadership, the warrior ethos is coming back to America’s military.
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