Like many young Americans, I grew up attending weekly meetings as a member of Troop 405 in my hometown of Georgetown. I loved my time in Scouts. We went on amazing trips. Over many years, I learned the values Scouting instils in America’s youth.

After reading over President Trump’s transcript and watching highlights of his Jamboree speech on Monday, I have to say that the president does not reflect the values of the Scout Oath nor Scout Law.

Let’s begin where the president began: After insisting he wasn’t attending the Jamboree to speak about politics, Trump began yet another tirade on "draining the swamp." Later in the speech, he began to recite the Scout Law – and it sounds to me as though he forgot the first point: "A Scout is trustworthy."

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Instead, the president chose to pause on his favorite attribute: loyalty. To clarify, it’s his favorite attribute for others to possess. As has been shown time and time again, Trump seeks for those around him to pledge themselves to him. Falling out of favour with the president doesn’t lead to the same loyalty or forgiveness – just ask James Comey, Jeff Sessions or anyone involved in recent hearings. Is there much more to be expected from the man who’s trademark phrase was simply, "You’re fired!’’?

With the above in mind, I’m reminded of another leadership value I learned in Scouting: primus inter pares, or "first among equals." The loyalty we learn in Scouts comes not from demanding it from others; it comes from pledging to help those around us. The value goes so far as to be put plainly in part of the Scout Oath: "to help other people at all times.’’ A self-serving president who spends the first minutes of his speech stroking his ego while talking about a night eight months ago is not a true public servant. Instead, he seeks to make the public his servant.

A part of me feels disrespectful in writing this, because I believe the office of the president deserves respect. Yet, our own president clearly doesn’t believe this; he also devoted a portion of his speech to bashing his predecessor’s legislation and actions. On the former, his own support goes toward revoking health care from 32 million Americans. On the latter, he fails to mention President Obama did not attend the jamboree to protest the organization’s ban on gay Scouts at the time.

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So, while Trump was cheered on by thousands of my fellow Scouts on Monday, I respectfully disagree with the choices of the Boy Scouts of America. Scouting values do not involve infidelity and three marriages. In our oath, we do not vow to "grab ’em" by the anything. We do not seek to cheat others or lead to them to financial ruin.

I am a proud Eagle Scout — and for this reason alone I choose to speak out. It’s time to call Monday’s speech for what it was: a political rally for a captive audience at an impressionable stage in their life. This is not to say that these boys are incapable of thinking for themselves; instead it is to condemn the president for his actions. These boys deserve a leader who will serve them, not demand their praise.