Scouting America cuts DEI programs after pressure from Pentagon, Hegseth

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LOUISVILLE , CO - FEBRUARY 23: United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks during a visit to Sierra Space in Louisville, Colorado on Monday, February 23, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

WASHINGTON - Scouting America will make changes to several policies after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth threatened to pull the department's support for the organization.

In a video released Friday, Hegseth said the organization had agreed to pull all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from the organization.

Changes coming to Scouting America

What's next:

Among the changes, Scouting America says it will launch a new merit badge that focuses on military service and veterans. To make way for the new merit badge, its "citizenship in society" merit badge will be discontinued. A description of the deprecated badge from Scouting America describes it as a way for scouts to "realize the benefits of diversity, equity, inclusion, and ethical leadership."

A statement on the organization's website reads: "Citizenship in Society Merit Badge will be discontinued effective Friday, February 27, 2026. Beginning on February 27, 2026, Scouts will no longer be able to start requirements on the Citizenship in Society Merit Badge."

The badge was previously required for a scout to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. The new guidance says those seeking the rank of Eagle Scout will now have 13 required merit badges and eight elective badges to keep the total requirement at 21 total badges.

Hegseth said in the video that Scouting America will require members to use their biological sex at birth and not gender identity.

What they're saying:

"Scouting will also make clear that biological boys and biological girls will not be permitted to share intimate spaces, toilets, showers and tents," Hegseth said.

As part of the agreement, Hegseth said the Pentagon would conduct a review of the organization in six months to make sure it's in compliance and would cease support if they find violations.

"Ideally, I believe the Boy Scouts should go back to being the Boy Scouts as originally founded, a group that develops boys into men," Hegseth said.

Scouting America says updates are to comply with anti-DEI executive order

Scouting America said Friday their conversations with the Department of War were to make updates to the program and comply with Executive Order 14173, which ended DEI programs.

The organization stopped short of a name change.

What they're saying:

"We maintained our name as ‘Scouting America’ and preserved our service to the more than 200,000 girls who participate in our programs," Scouting America said. "Girls have been an integral part of Scouting since the 1960s and have served as leaders and program developers for decades. That commitment is unwavering."

Scouting America said the partnership strengthens their commitment to military families.

"Scouting America is one of the most reliable pipelines to the United States Armed Forces our country has ever known. Scouts are significantly more likely to serve in uniform than the general population," the organization said. "The leadership, discipline and responsibility developed through Scouting translate into adulthood as public service, civic engagement, and a readiness to lead."

The backstory:

According to the Associated Press, the organization began allowing gay youths in 2013, ended its blanket ban on gay adult leaders in 2015 and announced in 2017 that it would accept transgender students. It began allowing girls into the program as Cub Scouts in 2018 and in its flagship program, Scouts BSA in 2019. Nearly 1,000 girls were recognized as the first female Eagle Scouts in 2021.

In a letter to members, Scouting America said the agreement allows them to continue the program on military installations and keeps support from the Department of War for events like its National Jamboree. The organization emphasized that the changes do not change its commitment to "serving all youth" or their "practices to safeguard youth."

"For more than a century, Scouting America has endured because we are resilient, principled and unwavering in our mission," the message reads. "We remain committed to developing leaders of character. We remain committed to service and our nation. We remain committed to the principles enshrined in our Scout Oath and Scout Law."