By Theodore Bunker | Wednesday, 26 November 2025 04:17 PM EST
Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., co-chair of the Congressional Scouting Caucus, criticized Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday over a “nearsighted” memo stating the military may cut ties with Scouting America, formerly the Boy Scouts.
Hegsetth, in a draft memo to Congress, criticized the “genderless” organization, which used to be exclusively male, as being designed to “attack boy-friendly spaces,” saying it “no longer supports the future of American boys” and is no longer a meritocracy.
In a statement, Thompson defended Scouting America and its “partnership” with the military. “As co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Scouting Caucus, I can think of no better recruitment tool for our military than the lessons acquired through Scouting,” he said. “It would be nearsighted to uproot this decades long partnership.”
Thompson previously co-sponsored a resolution to celebrate the organization’s 115th anniversary. “Scouting helps young men and women build character and confidence, while attaining skills that will help them succeed in all aspects of life,” Thompson said in a press release at the time. “I have been involved with Scouting for more than 50 years, including time spent as Scout, Eagle Scout, Scoutmaster, and Distinguished Eagle.”
Scouting America said in a statement that the organization’s members were “surprised and deeply saddened” by Hegseth’s memo. “According to the story, the draft memo purports that the Scouting organization is ‘no longer a meritocracy’ and does not hold members to high standards. This view is clearly uninformed,” the statement said. “Badges and ranks are not given, they are earned. Just ask any Eagle Scout. Young men and young women alike thrive in Scouting. Scouts wear an American flag on their sleeves and swear a duty to God and country.”
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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