Amid standard testimonials to hard work and American values, Mr. Trump launched into a speech to the scouts replete with classic Trumpian jabs at opponents and the “fake media.” He harkened back to his “incredible” election and jokingly told his health secretary that if he failed to deliver enough votes in Tuesday’s health care vote, “you’re fired.”
With an estimated 40,000 scouts, volunteers and others on hand, it was certainly the largest crowd Mr. Trump had seen since his inauguration, and a highly supportive one. As anyone who followed last year’s election knows, Mr. Trump is no boy scout — but he boasted that 10 members of his Cabinet were, including some he brought with him.
“By the way, just a question,” Mr. Trump said mischievously. “Did President Obama ever come to a jamboree?”
He knew the answer was no. While Mr. Obama, like every president since the founding of the Boy Scouts of America in 1910, served as its honorary president, he never came to the jamboree, which is held once every four years, because of policies barring gay scouts and scoutmasters.
