Hegseth's Pentagon Pressure Leads Scouting America to Cut LGBTQ+ Youth Spaces

Scouting America eliminated dedicated spaces for LGBTQ+ scouts, women and scouts of color at its National Jamboree in West Virginia this year after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened to end the Pentagon's century-old partnership with the organization over its diversity initiatives, the Associated Press reported July 31. Hegseth said in February he would "vigorously review" the organization's policies and cut military support if it did not comply by late August. A six-page Pentagon memo obtained through a FOIA lawsuit outlines periodic compliance "touchpoints" between the two organizations.

The changes prompted some scouts and volunteers, including LGBTQ+ members who had previously staffed inclusion spaces, to skip this year's jamboree in protest. A Scouting America spokesperson said the organization remains "fully committed to welcoming and serving all youth" but did not address the specific changes.

The Pentagon has not detailed how it will formally assess compliance beyond the scheduled late-August review; the military's logistical support for scouting programs, including jamboree operations, continues for now.