Trump’s political speech to Boy Scouts draws criticism, comparisons to Nazi-era rallies

Donald Trump delivered a political speech July 24 at the National Scout Jamboree in West Virginia that drew criticism from former scouts and scout parents and comparisons from Trump critics to Hitler youth rallies.

"The Boy Scouts must distance themselves from that offensive attempt to politicize scouting and turn them into a Trump youth organization," stated Richard W. Painter, vice-chairman of Citizens for Responsibility, on Twitter.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, stated on Twitter, "As a Scout leader, my stomach is in knots about what Trump did today. If you haven't watched it yet, don't. It's downright icky."

Michael Moore, an Eagle Scout, tweeted, "Trump using the 30,000 Boy Scouts as his props tonight was a scene out of Triumph of the Will. Shocking abuse of children."

Trump addressed thousands of children, beginning with profanity and then moving to anger as he attacked the media and his political enemies, most notably former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

AP reported there were cheers from the crowd of youngsters.

The Boy Scouts of America, before the address, announced Trump's "private" speech as a continuation of a longstanding tradition.

Afterward, the organization issued a statement saying it did not promote any one political candidate or philosophy.

Here’s the statement from the BSA issued July 21, before Trump’s speech:

On Monday, July 24, United States President Donald J. Trump will become the eighth President to join the Boy Scouts of America’s National Jamboree. The President will travel to West Virginia on Monday evening and address approximately 40,000 participants and volunteers at the 2017 National Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve.

The 2017 National Jamboree takes place at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in West Virginia and brings together boys and girls ages 12-18, representing various Boy Scouts of America programs including Boy Scouts, Venturing, Exploring, Sea Scouts and Varsity Scouts. International Scouts representing 60 different nations are also in attendance.

Since its inception in 1910, each sitting U.S. President has served as the Boy Scouts of America’s honorary president.  Seven of the 11 U.S. Presidents who were in office at the time of the National Jamboree attended the event in person to address the largest gathering of Scouts in the country.  Most recently, President George W. Bush visited the Jamboree in 2005, President William J. Clinton in 1997 and President George H. W. Bush in 1989.

This event is a private event and is not open to the public.

Here’s the BSA statement after the speech:

The Boy Scouts of America is “wholly non-partisan and does not promote any one position, product, service, political candidate or philosophy. The invitation for the sitting U.S. President to visit the National Jamboree is a long-standing tradition and is in no way an endorsement of any political party or specific policies.”

Trump observed that at least 10 of his Cabinet members were Boy Scouts.

Obama was also a Boy Scout.

Trump, however, was not a scout.

Editor’s note: This story will be updated.