On Tuesday, the Department of Defense issued an extortion threat to Scouting America, telling the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts that if they don't get "back to God and country—immediately!" they will lose their support from the United States military.
"For more than a decade now, Scouting America's leadership has made decisions that run counter to the values of this administration and this Department of War, including an embrace of DEl and other social justice, gender-fluid ideological stances. This is unacceptable," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote in a statement posted to X, which threatened to pull support for the Scouts' massive Jamboree event scheduled for July if the organization does not meet the Pentagon's demands.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell
"Scouting America and the Department of War are near a final agreement where we believe we can continue our partnership with Scouting America as long as the organization rapidly implements the common-sense, core value reforms," Parnell added. "They are on the clock, and we are watching."
The Pentagon did not release the changes it wants the Scouts to make. However, in February 2025, the organization officially changed its name from Boy Scouts to Scouting America. That follows a decision by the organization in 2017 to allow girls to join. That follows previous decisions in 2013 and 2015 to allow openly gay children to join and for openly gay adults to be leaders.
Given that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is a raging misogynist who has railed against allowing women in combat, cruelly kicked transgender individuals out of the military, and removed the name of LGBTQ+ rights activist and Korean War veteran Harvey Milk from a Navy ship … well, make of that what you will.
If Scouting America doesn't meet the undisclosed extortionist demands from the military, it could jeopardize the organization's 10-day Jamboree. Scouting America heavily relies on National Guard and active-duty service members to help provide security, medical care, and logistical support to the tens of thousands of scouts that attend the once-every-four-year event, the Washington Post reported.
If the Pentagon revokes support of the organization, it could also impact children of active duty service personnel who are part of troops on military bases.
This is the latest instance in which we have to ask, is the Trump administration actively trying to lose the midterms?
Related | Are Trump and his team actively trying to lose the midterms?
Extorting a traditionally conservative organization like Scouting America—which invited President Donald Trump to speak in 2017 (remember that disaster?)—seems boneheaded at a time when Trump needs the support of his base in the 2026 midterms.
Ruining a summer gathering of scouts, which troops spend countless hours raising money to attend, would almost certainly piss off people who supported Trump and the GOP. It's also not smart for the military, as the military views it as a recruiting event. But never underestimate the idiots in this administration's ability to do the dumbest possible thing.
