The White House is not apologizing for a speech delivered by President Donald Trump at the Boy Scouts annual Jamboree, despite apologies from the organization to parents.
“I was at that event and heard nothing but a lot of cheering and probably one of the most energetic crowds I’ve seen in front of the President,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said to reporters after being asked if President Trump should apologize for the political rhetoric.
Chief scout executive Michael Surbaugh wrote a statement apologizing to those who were offended by Trump’s speech in West Virginia on Monday.
”I want to extend my sincere apologies to those that are Scouting family who are offended by the political rhetoric that was inserted into the jamboree,” he wrote. “That was never our intent. We sincerely regret that politics were inserted into the Scouting program.”
Trump spoke about a number of different topics, including his great victory on election night, his fight to repeal Obamacare, and the “fake news” media — all of which were cheered wildly by the audience.
Trump also mentioned his previous opponent Hillary Clinton and former president Barack Obama, who were booed by some in the crowd.
But the president shared a lot of praise for the organization, noting that he had 10 cabinet members who were in his administration who were once scouts.
“When you volunteer for the Boy Scouts you are not only shaping young lives, you are shaping the future of America,” he said. “The United States has no better citizens than its Boy Scouts.”