Boy Scouts chief apologizes for Trump’s Jamboree address

The head of Boy Scouts of America has apologized following President Trump’s controversial speech earlier this week at the organization’s National Jamboree, saying he regrets politics were brought into the event.

“I want to extend my sincere apologies to those in our Scouting family who were offended by the political rhetoric that was inserted into the jamboree,” Michael Surbaugh, chief scout executive for the Boy Scouts of America, said in a statement on Thursday.

“That was never our intent. The invitation for the sitting U.S. President to visit the National Jamboree is a long-standing tradition. … It is in no way an endorsement of any person, party or policies.

“For years, people have called upon us to take a position on political issues, and we have steadfastly remained non-partisan and refused to comment on political matters. We sincerely regret that politics were inserted into the Scouting program.”

Trump drew a crowd of tens of thousands to the national gathering in West Virginia on Monday evening, where he hammered his political opponents and pressured Republicans in the Senate to repeal and replace ObamaCare in campaign-style remarks. 

Trump’s speech — which was repeatedly broken up by cheering and chants of “U.S.A.” — slammed Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama and the press.