Getty US President Donald Trump waves after speaking to Boy Scouts during the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Summit Bechtel National Scout Reserve in Glen Jean, West Virginia, July 24, 2017.
President Donald Trump gave a political speech before a crowd of thousands of cheering Boy Scouts, and that has many of his critics online comparing the rally to the Hitler Youth in Nazi Germany.
Others – even some of those who think the Trump political speech was unwise – are trashing the critics for comparing the Boy Scouts and Trump to the genocidal maniac Adolf Hitler, Nazis and Hitler Youth.
Trump gave the speech – which has been tradition for decades for presidents – in West Virginia on July 24 to thousands of Boy Scouts attending the Boy Scouts of America 2017 National Scout Jamboree.
What’s upsetting some parents and other critics is that the president turned the speech into a political vent about his victory over Hillary Clinton, “fake news,” crowd sizes, and other such topics. He also criticized former President Barack Obama for not attending a similar Boy Scout Jamboree in person, even though Obama is a former Boy Scout, and he spoke about loyalty.
US President Donald Trump waves after speaking to Boy Scouts.
The Boy Scouts released a statement saying the group is non-partisan and the invitation was not an endorsement. “We could use some more loyalty,” Trump told the Boy Scouts.
Here’s the speech:
When Trump told the crowd, “Did President Obama ever come to a Jamboree?” Boy Scouts yelled: “Noooooooo!” Newsweek reported. Obama was, however, a Boy Scout.
Here’s some of the Hitler Youth reaction online:
Trump turned Boy Scouts of America into Hitler Youth yesterday and forever tarnished that org in my view
trump is trying to make the Boy Scouts his own “hitler youth” style organization. I guess they will change their name to trump scouts! SAD!!
https://twitter.com/travelong6/status/889825967912493056
Trump channeled his inner Hitler again getting Boy Scouts to boo Obama, who was a Boy Scout. Wake up, America.
@JoeNBC Call the Boy Scouts & let them know a Trump Hitler Youth rally will not be tolerated. They must address this 972-580-2000
@realDonaldTrump Sick Trump held a Hitler youth style rally with the Boy Scouts. Shameful.
Even some Trump critics thought the comparison was silly.
Others thought it was completely unhinged, especially because Hitler was responsible for the murders of millions of people. Some people pointed out that liberal critics have chastised the Boy Scouts’ values in the past but are now using them to criticize Trump. The Washington Post reported that past presidents steered away from politics when speaking to the event. For example, FDR spoke about good citizenship and Harry Truman about fellowship, the newspaper reported.
https://twitter.com/LcKimball/status/889824181327716352
See the stupidity of this is that while you call Trump Hitler, you call the BOY SCOUTS Hitler Youth and YOU think that’s clever. #ItAint t.co/1QsIOfeV6P
@jaketapper Libs:Boy Scouts are bigots & must accept born females!
Also libs: Precious Scouts & their ideals need protection from Hitler/Trump!