What is the real reason why the military is cutting ties with the Boy Scouts of America
Executive summary
Documents reviewed by NPR show Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is preparing to sever U.S. military ties with Scouting America (the group formerly known as the Boy Scouts), citing that the organization “no longer supports the future of American boys,” promotes DEI initiatives, allows girls, and has become “genderless” or bent on “attacking boy-friendly spaces” [1] [2]. Draft memos would suspend military logistical and medical support — including aid to the National Jamboree — and bar Scouts from meeting on installations, reversing more than a century of Pentagon support [2] [3].
1. What officials say: national security, DEI, and “boy-friendly spaces”
According to draft documents to Congress reported by NPR, Hegseth frames the move as driven by changes in Scouting America’s policies — including gender-inclusive rebranding and DEI programming — arguing those shifts undermine a mission that once cultivated “masculine values” and now foster “gender confusion,” which he claims could be “detrimental to national security” [2] [4]. The memo language quoted in multiple outlets accuses the organization of becoming “genderless” and of “attacking boy-friendly spaces” [1] [3].
2. What would change: long-standing military support at risk
If implemented, the proposal would end more than 100 years of military assistance formalized in 1937, cutting logistical and medical support for the National Jamboree (an event that can draw roughly 15,000–20,000 participants) and potentially preventing Scout units from meeting on U.S. and overseas bases, according to reporting that summarizes the draft orders and memos [2] [3].
3. Scouting America’s position and public reaction
Scouting America leaders reportedly expressed sadness and emphasized their long relationship with the military and support for military families, while outlets note the organization rebranded in 2024 to emphasize inclusivity and allow girls — changes Hegseth cites as part of his rationale [2] [5]. Coverage shows a mix of surprise and concern among military parents and some base commanders who value Scout troops as integration tools for military children [1] [4].
4. Political and cultural context: “woke” critiques and prior pressure
Coverage places the move within a broader political environment where conservative critics have previously accused institutions of being too “woke.” One outlet notes earlier internal White House reporting that a Hegseth adviser had sought to cut ties on similar grounds, and the change follows Scouting America’s rebrand and growing inclusivity that some conservative groups oppose [3] [5]. The Washington Times and other outlets frame the story against this ongoing culture-war backdrop [6].
5. Sources, authenticity, and official responses
Reporting is based largely on draft memos and documents reviewed by NPR and described as coming from Hegseth’s office; the Defense Department declined to publicly comment on leaked or pre-decisional documents in at least one outlet [1] [3]. Deseret News and others note the documents are unauthenticated leaks in some respects, and the Pentagon has not issued a full public justification beyond those drafts [7] [3].
6. Competing perspectives and what’s missing from reporting
Existing coverage centers on Hegseth’s draft rationale and Scouting America’s response, but available sources do not provide independent evidence that Scouting America’s internal policies directly threaten military readiness or national security, nor do they quote congressional legal analysis validating invocation of the “detrimental to national security” clause [2] [1]. Available sources do not mention a formal congressional decision or final Pentagon policy change at this time [2] [7].
7. Likely next steps and political implications
If the memo advances, it would require policy implementation and likely prompt debates in Congress about the statutory relationship between the military and youth groups; it would also become a flashpoint in culture-war politics, with supporters praising the move as defending boys’ spaces and critics calling it punitive toward an organization that has embraced inclusivity [6] [5]. Reporting indicates the decision — and how broadly it’s applied — will determine whether the change is logistical (suspending Jamboree support) or sweeping (barring base meetings worldwide) [2] [3].
Limitations: this analysis relies on draft memos and reporting from NPR and other outlets summarizing those documents; some pieces describe the documents as unauthenticated or pre-decisional, and available sources do not include a final, authoritative Pentagon announcement or congressional ruling [7] [3].