Pete Hegseth’s Latest Enemy: Scouting America

While global conflicts rage and alliances fray, the Pentagon’s leadership has found time to target Scouting America for admitting girls and confronting its past.

Pete Hegseth is so macho that he’s renamed the Department of Defense the Department of War—making himself, naturally, the Secretary of War. Eagle-eyed and ever ready, he’s got his sights set on all who threaten America. His newest target: the scouts.

Ridiculous as it sounds, Hegseth is now focused on Scouting America, demanding that it make “core value reforms” or risk losing a longstanding relationship. What would the scouts lose? Logistical and operational support from the West Virginia National Guard, which has assisted their national jamboree for decades.

The problem, in Hegseth’s mind, is that the scouts have gone soft. Long known as the Boy Scouts of America, the organization changed its name and began admitting girls and young women for several very good reasons. First, membership was plummeting. Second, families wanted their sons and daughters to have access to the same program. And third, the organization needed to rebrand after a massive sexual-abuse scandal.

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Not unlike the Catholic Church’s crisis, the Boy Scouts cases involved thousands of victims who were sexually abused by adult scoutmasters. The organization covered up the abuse until an avalanche of lawsuits forced the truth into the open.

The cost of settlements pushed the Boy Scouts of America into bankruptcy. Confronted with its past, the organization was forced to imagine a different future. It changed its name and went co-ed—though, for the most part, boys and girls still participate in separate units. The mission remains the same: building character through outdoor activities.

As you might expect, some old boys didn’t like the new scouts. Sure, women can be fighter pilots and infantry soldiers—but letting them learn camping and citizenship in, oh my, the same organization as boys? That, apparently, is a hill worth dying on.

And so we arrive at the Department of War going to war with Scouting America, while other matters—one might even say more important matters—ought to command Hegseth’s attention. They include:

• NATO — The splintering of NATO. Thanks to Donald Trump’s months-long threats to seize Greenland (territory of NATO member Denmark), the 76-year-old alliance faces its most serious crisis since its founding. America, once its anchor, is no longer seen as a reliable partner. The disaffection is real enough that U.S. forces were recently excluded from a major allied military exercise.

• Iran — As Iran’s repressive regime cracked down on protesters, killing thousands, President Trump ordered ships—including an aircraft carrier—and dozens of warplanes to the Persian Gulf. The stated mission: prepare for possible strikes over human-rights abuses. Now Iran appears ready to negotiate over its nuclear weapons program.

• Ukraine — The war in Ukraine is intensifying, with Russia launching its largest strikes of the year and targeting the infrastructure Ukrainians need to survive winter. The U.S. continues providing aid to Kyiv, and Hegseth remains responsible for that effort.

• Nigeria — The Pentagon has announced the deployment of U.S. troops to assist Nigeria’s fight against Islamic terrorists, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, who have attacked the military and persecuted Christians.

• Somalia — The U.S. military has been engaged against terrorist groups in Somalia since the 1990s, with advisors on the ground and an ongoing air campaign. More than 120 airstrikes were carried out in 2025 alone, with operations continuing into 2026.

As you can see, Hegseth’s plate is full. And yet he’s found the time and energy to wage a culture war against a private organization rebuilding after a devastating scandal. With real conflicts demanding attention, he’s chosen to start a new one.

Watch out, boys and girls. Here comes the Secretary of War.