Graham Smith

Hegseth was prepared to bar troops from meeting on military bases and refuse assistance to the national jamboree.

Instead, he said he'd give them a chance to prove they could work within the Trump administration's anti-DEI policies.

Scouting has agreed to drop one merit badge and require scouts to register as the sex assigned at birth, an anti-trans demand.

If Hegseth isn't happy in six months, We will find them in violation of the president's executive order and cease our support.

We hope that doesn't happen.

but it could.

Hegseth had wanted more.

According to a scouting spokesman, he demanded at a January meeting that they kick all 200,000 girls out and change the name back to Boy Scouts.

The president of scouting refused, according to the spokesman, and offered other moves more consistent with the group's promise to welcome all youth.

Graham Smith, NPR News.

After NPR's November report on the scouting memos, some members of Congress said they'd heard from angry constituents.

Here's Nebraska Republican Don Bacon.

There's some big-time Trump supporters in Omaha called me in rage that Hegseth would be picking a fight with the scouts.

Earlier this month, the Pentagon tweeted that the partnership might continue if the organization abandoned DEI and, quote, gender fluid stances.

Now, a Defense Department source who wouldn't be identified for fear of retribution tells NPR Hegseth is near reaching an agreement.

Among the concessions from scouting, applicants would now have to register under the sex assigned at birth.

Graham Smith, NPR News.

President Trump says the tanker was very large, and he promises more news about Venezuela soon.

This comes on top of the biggest U.S.

military buildup in the Caribbean in decades and threats to Venezuela's leader.