Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in a video posted to X that the Pentagon has put Scouting America — the organization formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America — “on notice” and will reevaluate the Pentagon’s relationship with the group in six months. The move follows Hegseth’s threat to sever ties and remove Scouting activities from military bases worldwide unless the organization reverses recent changes he described as embracing “an insidious, radical, woke ideology.”
Hegseth criticized Scouting’s name change, its inclusion of girls, and what he called accommodations for gender fluidity and transgender members. He said he would prefer the organization to return to being exclusively male and to “get back to basics,” framing his demands around a return to traditional language about God and country. Hegseth also announced that Scouting America will modify its membership policy to require that applications match an applicant’s birth certificate and include only two sex designations, male and female.
Scouting America CEO Roger Krone said the organization will not revert to its former name or remove girls from membership. Krone told NPR that serving girls and families was a deliberate decision by the national council: the organization intends to support whole families rather than exclude members. He noted the membership application already contains two sex designations and said the information is used to operate units safely — for example, for tenting and bathroom arrangements — especially in light of stringent policies implemented after sexual abuse allegations that resulted in a $2.46 billion victims compensation fund.
After a January meeting with Hegseth in which the secretary demanded name and membership changes, Scouting officials proposed a series of concessions short of removing girls or reverting the name. In a letter to Hegseth, Scouting America offered to drop a Citizenship in Society merit badge that addressed diversity and had been added after the killing of George Floyd; add a Military Service merit badge; waive membership fees for military families; and hold a public rededication emphasizing duty to God, duty to country, and service. Scouting leaders said they planned to implement those changes regardless of the Pentagon’s response.
Hegseth’s announced six-month review is a partial retreat from an earlier posture that appeared to prepare for an immediate break. Earlier reporting showed the Pentagon had drafted internal notifications for congressional Armed Services Committees explaining how it would withdraw military medical and logistical support for the quadrennial Scout Jamboree, arguing that providing such assistance could threaten national security. Severing ties would also have meant banning Scout meetings on bases and eliminating programs that allow Eagle Scouts to enlist at advanced rank and pay.
News of a possible separation drew backlash, including from some Republicans. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska publicly criticized the proposal. According to Scouting officials, members and alumni mobilized after reports of the rift, lobbying to preserve the century-old partnership between the military and Scouting.
For now, base access for Scout troops will continue and the Pentagon is moving forward with Jamboree support and recruitment coordination while the six-month period proceeds. Hegseth framed part of his argument by highlighting Scouting’s historical ties to national service, noting that multiple U.S. presidents and astronauts were Scouts. Scouting America leaders maintain that their changes and proposed concessions aim to preserve service to families and ensure safety, while resisting demands to revert to earlier membership and naming practices.