BY MIRABEL ODETA
Scouting America has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense aimed at revising elements of the organization’s policies and programs, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday. According to Hegseth, the accord is intended to remove what he described as “radical woke ideology” from the group’s operations and to clarify that membership would be determined “solely on biological sex at birth.”
However, in its own public statements about the same agreement, Scouting America offered a different emphasis, disputing suggestions that transgender youth would be excluded from participation. The organization, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, said its core mission remains unchanged and that it continues to serve all young people.
“Our mission and commitment to serving all youth remains unchanged,” Scouting America said in a press release describing the agreement, which it characterized as a step taken to preserve its longstanding and historically close relationship with the U.S. military. In a separate statement, Scouting America President and Chief Executive Officer Roger Krone said transgender individuals are currently part of the program and would continue to be in the future.
The agreement comes after years of policy changes within the organization that have drawn both praise and criticism. In 2015, the group lifted its ban on openly gay adult leaders and employees. It welcomed its first openly transgender member in 2017 and, in 2018, opened its programs to girls. The following year, it stopped using the term “Boy Scouts” to refer to its members, marking a significant shift in branding and identity. Meanwhile, Girl Scouts of the USA has continued to operate as a separate youth organization.
Hegseth said continued support from the U.S. armed forces — including the use of military bases for national Scout jamborees and other large-scale events — would depend on Scouting America’s adherence to the terms of the new agreement. He pointed specifically to compliance with Executive Order 14173, signed by President Donald Trump in January 2025. The executive order seeks to end race- and sex-based policy preferences introduced under diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
“That means no more DEI in Scouting — zero,” Hegseth said in a video message released Friday. In that message, he argued that the organization had strayed from what he described as its foundational mission of developing boys into men and had instead embraced ideological positions he characterized as harmful. He criticized what he called the acceptance of gender fluidity and transgender identity within the organization’s membership policies.
Under the terms he outlined, Scouting America would revise its policies to clarify that membership is based solely on biological sex as recorded at birth, rather than on gender identity. Hegseth said application forms would include only two sex designations — male and female — and that those designations must match the applicant’s birth certificate.
He also stated that boys and girls would not be permitted to share intimate spaces such as restrooms, showers or camping tents. Krone responded that Scouting America’s application process already presents a binary choice of boy or girl and asks about birth sex. He added that the organization does not place boys and girls together in intimate spaces and that it requires accurate information to ensure appropriate accommodations.
Beyond membership criteria, Scouting America said it has made additional program updates to comply with Executive Order 14173, though it did not detail all of the changes. Among the specific steps confirmed by both sides, the organization will discontinue its “Citizenship in Society” merit badge, which Hegseth criticized as promoting DEI concepts. In its place, Scouting America will introduce a new “Military Service” merit badge intended to emphasize civic duty and armed forces engagement.
The agreement also includes financial measures aimed at military families. Registration fees will be waived for children of active-duty service members as well as those in the National Guard and Reserve components, according to statements from both the Defense Department and Scouting America.
Scouting America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States. Since its founding in 1910, it estimates that roughly 130 million young people have participated in its programs, which focus on outdoor skills, leadership development, community service and character education. The newly announced agreement underscores the organization’s continuing ties to the military while highlighting ongoing debates over its policies and evolving identity.
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