In a memo drafted to Congress, Hegseth writes that he wants to cut the military's support for Scouting America, the 115-year-old organization teaching kids survival and outdoor skills. In the draft leaked to NPR, Hegseth condemns the Scouts for being "genderless" and promoting "gender confusion" and DEI initiatives. (The group changed its name from the Boy Scouts in February and formally began letting girls join in 2018.)
The century-old partnership between the U.S. military and Scouting could be coming to an end. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is planning for the military to sever all ties with Scouting America, saying the group once known as the Boy Scouts is no longer a meritocracy and has become an organization designed to "attack boy-friendly spaces," according to documents reviewed by NPR.