The 29 most cringe-worthy lines from Donald Trump’s hyper-political speech to the Boy Scouts – CNN
Trump ranged from the current health care bill to stories of a bygone time in New York history to his Electoral College victory in 2016. It was a Trumpian tour de force -- one sure to cheer his supporters but leave the rest of the country wondering what, exactly, he is doing and thinking.
I went through the speech and picked out the 29 oddest, cringiest lines -- no easy task given the sheer strangeness of Trump's speech.
Here they are -- in the rough order Trump said them.
1. "Boy, you have a lot of people here. The press will say it's about 200 people. It looks like about 45,000 people. You set a record today. You set a record."
2. "I said, 'Who the hell wants to speak about politics when I'm in front of the Boy Scouts?' Right?"
Trump, apparently. He spent the VAST majority of this speech jabbing at his political foes and recounting his 2016 successes.
3. "Today, I said we ought to change it from the word 'swamp' to the word 'cesspool' or, perhaps, to the word 'sewer.'"
Remember: "Who the hell wants to speak about politics when I'm in front of the Boy Scouts?"
4. "Many of my top advisers in the White House were Scouts. Ten members of my Cabinet were Scouts. Can you believe that? Ten."
5. "Some of you here tonight might even have camped out in this yard when Mike was the governor of Indiana, but the scouting was very, very important."
Your guess is as good as mine.
6. "We're doing a lot with energy."
This was part of Trump's introduction of Boy Scout and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who was in attendance. Apparently, we are "doing a lot" with energy.
7. "He better get them. Oh, he better -- otherwise, I'll say, 'Tom, you're fired.' I'll get somebody."
8. "As the Scout Law says: 'A Scout is trustworthy, loyal' -- we could use some more loyalty, I will tell you that."
Is this about Sessions? Republicans in the Senate on health care? Staffers leaking to reporters? All of the above?
9. "I'm waving to people back there so small I can't even see them. Man, this is a lot of people."
This has to be a record, right?
10. "By the way, what do you think the chances are that this incredible, massive crowd, record-setting is going to be shown on television tonight? One percent or zero?"
As Trump was saying this, CNN was showing shots of the crowd. Also, that crowd was "massive" and "record setting."
11. "By the way, just a question, did President Obama ever come to a jamboree?"
"Who the hell wants to speak about politics when I'm in front of the Boy Scouts?"
12. "I'll tell you a story that's very interesting for me when I was young. There was a man named William Levitt -- Levittowns, you have some here, you have some in different states."
This is my favorite part of the entire Trump speech. He regales a crowd of kids -- most of whom are teenagers -- about life in New York in the post-World War II age. Nothing like knowing your audience!
13. "Oh, you're Boy Scouts, but you know life. You know life. So -- look at you."
???????
14. "He so badly wanted it, he got bored with this life of yachts and sailing and all of the things he did in the south of France and other places."
Same.
15. "And in the end he failed, and he failed badly. Lost all of his money."
Aim for the stars, kids!
16. "I saw him at a cocktail party, and it was very sad because the hottest people in New York were at this party."
Again, Trump is speaking to a crowd of teenagers. And recounting his glory days in New York City high society -- decades before they were even born.
17. "You have to know whether or not you continue to have the momentum, and if you don't have it, that's OK. Because you're going to go on and you're going to learn and you're going to do things that are great."
Momentum is the key. Having it is everything. If you don't have it, though, everything is still going to be great.
18. "I have to tell you our economy is doing great."
For the 80th time: Trump is speaking to tens of thousands of teenagers.
19. "Do we remember that date? Was that a beautiful date? What a date."
He's talking about Election Day 2016. Because of course he is.
20. "But do you remember that incredible night with the maps and the Republicans are red and the Democrats are blue, and that map was so red, it was unbelievable, and they didn't know what to say?"
21. "And you know we have a tremendous disadvantage in the Electoral College -- popular vote is much easier."
"Who the hell wants to speak about politics when I'm in front of the Boy Scouts?"
22. "I went to Maine four times because it's one vote, and we won. But we won -- one vote. I went there because I kept hearing we're at 269."
He's speaking to teenagers gathered for their annual Jamboree in West Virginia. And he's talking about how Maine splits its two electoral votes by congressional district.
23. "But then Wisconsin came in. Many, many years -- Michigan came in."
"Many, many years."
24. "Wisconsin hadn't been won in many, many years by a Republican. But we go to Wisconsin, and we had tremendous crowds. And I'd leave these massive crowds. I'd say, 'Why are we going to lose this state?'"
Not sure if you've heard but Trump won Wisconsin. He was the first Republican presidential candidate to win the state since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
25. "So I have to tell you what we did, in all fairness, is an unbelievable tribute to you and all of the other millions and millions of people that came out and voted for Make America Great Again."
Most of the people who were in the audience weren't 18 in 2016 and, therefore, did not vote to Make America Great Again.
26. "And by the way, under the Trump administration, you'll be saying 'Merry Christmas' again when you go shopping. Believe me. 'Merry Christmas.'"
Trump gave this speech on July 24.
27. "They've been downplaying that little, beautiful phrase. You're going to be saying 'Merry Christmas' again, folks."
First of all, "they." Second of all, Merry damn Christmas.
28. "I promise you that you will live scouting's adventure every single day of your life, and you will win, win, win and help people in doing so."
So much winning. You will be bored by all of the winning.
29. "I've known so many great people."
The best people. Believe me.
Original post:
The 29 most cringe-worthy lines from Donald Trump's hyper-political speech to the Boy Scouts - CNN
- Sky News Australia. . Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer says US President Donald Trump hit the ground running on the first day of his... - March 24th, 2026 [March 24th, 2026]
- Donald Trump Says James Talarico Is a Vegan With Six Genders in Bizarre Rant - them.us - March 24th, 2026 [March 24th, 2026]
- President Donald J. Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi deliver remarks in the the State Dining Room - The White House (.gov) - March 22nd, 2026 [March 22nd, 2026]
- California is taking Donald Trump to court for breaking the law to put polluter profits before American lives - California State Portal | CA.gov - March 22nd, 2026 [March 22nd, 2026]
- War in Iran is making Donald Trump weakerand angrier - The Economist - March 22nd, 2026 [March 22nd, 2026]
- Donald Trump very surprised Australia declined to send troops to strait of Hormuz amid fuel crisis - The Guardian - March 22nd, 2026 [March 22nd, 2026]
- Majorities of Americans think Donald Trump is arrogant, opportunistic, and reckless - YouGov - March 18th, 2026 [March 18th, 2026]
- Donald Trump Hit With Dire Warning of a Self-Inflicted Disaster - The Daily Beast - March 18th, 2026 [March 18th, 2026]
- LEADER JEFFRIES WITH DEMOCRATIC VETERANS: DONALD TRUMP HAS CONTINUED TO BREAK HIS WORD TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE Congressman Hakeem Jeffries -... - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- President Donald J. Trump hosts a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz - The White House (.gov) - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- Donald Trump Humiliated by Allied Pilot Who Downed $100 Million Worth of U.S. Jets - The Daily Beast - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- Is Donald Trump facing impeachment 2026? What the odds say today - The News Journal - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- President Donald Trump says he doesnt care if Iran plays at World Cup in North America - The Athletic - The New York Times - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- President Donald Trump pledges action to save Great Salt Lake - KUTV - February 22nd, 2026 [February 22nd, 2026]
- Donald Trump Calls On Netflix To Fire Board Member Susan Rice Or Pay The Consequences - Deadline - February 22nd, 2026 [February 22nd, 2026]
- Donald Trump just announced a NEW 15% TAX on the American people. He does not care about you. - x.com - February 22nd, 2026 [February 22nd, 2026]
- Donald Trump is reshaping American health care - The Economist - February 22nd, 2026 [February 22nd, 2026]
- Donald Trump says US committing $10 billion to Board of Peace - The Hill - February 20th, 2026 [February 20th, 2026]
- Florida airport to be renamed after US President Donald Trump - RFI - February 20th, 2026 [February 20th, 2026]
- Donald Trump and the disgrace of Presidents Day - The Hill - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- Nothing says the special relationship is over like this picture of Donald Trump and Liz Truss | Zoe Williams - The Guardian - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- George Washington and Donald Trump Have a Similar Obsession. Theyve Expressed It Shall We Say ... Differently. - Slate - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- Where Donald Trump Approval Rating Stands in Each State on Presidents Day - Newsweek - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- Donald Trump is "in retreat" on Greenland and ICE, prominent critic and California Governor Gavin Newsom told DW at #MSC2026. - facebook.com - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- Peter Kalis: What JFK did, Donald Trump can do, and for the same reasons - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- Donald Trump and the Dictator Dynamic - America Magazine - February 11th, 2026 [February 11th, 2026]
- Who wrangled the best trade deal from Donald Trump? - The Economist - February 11th, 2026 [February 11th, 2026]
- President Donald Trump: We have the hottest country in the world - Fox Business - February 9th, 2026 [February 9th, 2026]
- President Donald Trump announces the launch of TrumpRX - The White House (.gov) - February 9th, 2026 [February 9th, 2026]
- Donald Trump calls Bad Bunny's halftime show a slap in the face' to the U.S. - NBC Bay Area - February 9th, 2026 [February 9th, 2026]
- The 7 things to know about President Donald Trump for Monday, Feb. 9 - The Washington Post - February 9th, 2026 [February 9th, 2026]
- Donald Trump calls for immediate NFL rule change after what he saw in Super Bowl 60 - Yahoo - February 9th, 2026 [February 9th, 2026]
- Bill Maher Says Donald Trump Wanting Greenland Isnt the Craziest Idea Ever - TV Insider - February 9th, 2026 [February 9th, 2026]
- Thank you, President Donald J. Trump, for approving Tennessees Major Disaster Declaration to support recovery following Winter Storm Fern. This... - February 7th, 2026 [February 7th, 2026]
- How to Protect the 2026 Elections from Donald Trump - The New Yorker - February 7th, 2026 [February 7th, 2026]
- 3 Polls That Paint a Worrying Sign for Donald Trump - Newsweek - February 7th, 2026 [February 7th, 2026]
- Donald Trump is still weird - Yahoo - February 7th, 2026 [February 7th, 2026]
- Remarks: Donald Trump Addresses the National Prayer Breakfast at the Capitol - February 5, 2026 - Roll Call - February 7th, 2026 [February 7th, 2026]
- Eugene Daniels reacts to Trump post with racist depiction of Obamas: 'This is who Donald Trump is' - MS NOW - February 7th, 2026 [February 7th, 2026]
- President Donald Trump signs the spending bill that ends the shutdown and reopens the U.S. Government - The White House (.gov) - February 4th, 2026 [February 4th, 2026]
- Read the extended transcript: President Donald Trump interviewed by 'NBC Nightly News' anchor Tom Llamas - NBC News - February 4th, 2026 [February 4th, 2026]
- Donald Trump wants to end Americas half-century conflict with Iran - The Economist - February 4th, 2026 [February 4th, 2026]
- Donald Trump and Xi Jinping discuss Ukraine and trade ahead of US state visit to Beijing - Financial Times - February 4th, 2026 [February 4th, 2026]
- Opinion: Why are political cartoonists drawn to Donald Trump? 'He really is a cartoon' - CT Insider - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- David M. Shribman: Where is Donald Trump taking America? - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- How Donald Trump reshaped Vermont in just 1 year - VTDigger - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Everyone is comparing Donald Trump to the wrong fascist - PhillyVoice - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Donald Trump announces plans for Indycar race through Washington DC streets - The Guardian - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- 'Melania' Is Gift to Donald Trump, Disguised As a Boring Movie: Review - Business Insider - January 30th, 2026 [January 30th, 2026]
- Mayor Helena Moreno meets with Donald Trump on sidelines of Washington Mardi Gras - NOLA.com - January 30th, 2026 [January 30th, 2026]
- Rinse and Repeat: Western allies ready for next rollercoaster with Donald Trump - CNN - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Donald Trump Addresses His Father's Alzheimer's in New Health Interview, Saying Fred Had 'What Do They Call It?' - People.com - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- The Woman Who Stands Between Donald Trump and Greenland - The New York Times - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Davos 2026: Special Address by Donald J Trump, President of the United States of America - weforum.org - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Democratic senators sound the alarm on Pentagon backing firms linked to Donald Trump Jr. - CNN - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- How Donald Trump Brought Us to a Rupture in the World Order - The New Yorker - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Donald Trump to unveil home buying plan involving retirement funds - BBC - January 18th, 2026 [January 18th, 2026]
- America has coped with worse things than Donald Trump - The Economist - January 18th, 2026 [January 18th, 2026]
- Venezuelans believe Donald Trump has offered them a better future - The Economist - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Donald Trump Yells 'F--k You' and Flips Off Man After Being Called a 'Pedophile Protector' - People.com - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Donald Trump Tries New Joe Biden Impression as He Brags About Ignoring Teleprompter '80% of the Time' - People.com - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Donald Trump Just Slapped Another Sign On The White House, And It's Exactly What You'd Expect - Yahoo - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Donald Trump wants the US back on the moon before his term ends. Can it happen? - The Guardian - January 2nd, 2026 [January 2nd, 2026]
- Donald Trump Caps Off 2025 With Digs At George Clooney And His New French Citizenship - Deadline - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Donald Trump in his own words the year in racism and misogyny - The Guardian - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- How Donald Trump, 79, Turned Bruises and Cankles Into a Full-On Health Crisis - The Daily Beast - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Country music star shared heartbreaking message about Donald Trump before death - Yahoo - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- I WITNESS: From the desk of Donald Trump - The Berkshire Edge - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Dear Britain: things are bad, but America will recover from Donald Trump. Just give us three years | Jimmy Kimmel - The Guardian - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Threatens Americans to 'Enjoy What May be Your Last Merry Christmas' - People.com - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Praises Ted Sarandos But Says Netflix-WBD Would Have A Great Big Market Share In Streaming - Deadline - December 7th, 2025 [December 7th, 2025]
- Sources: Ted Sarandos Met With Donald Trump Ahead of Netflixs Winning Warner Bros. Deal - The Hollywood Reporter - December 7th, 2025 [December 7th, 2025]
- Donald Trump Jr. suggests the US may walk away from Ukraine peace talks - CNN - December 7th, 2025 [December 7th, 2025]
- "SNL" mocks Pete Hegseth and "sleeping" Donald Trump"kill everybody" - Newsweek - December 7th, 2025 [December 7th, 2025]
- The war on drugs felt over. Donald Trump restarted it - CNN - December 7th, 2025 [December 7th, 2025]
- At the 2026 World Cup draw, the winner is ... Donald Trump - CNBC - December 7th, 2025 [December 7th, 2025]
- Melania Trump was once the one making controversial White House design choices. Now, it's Donald Trump. - Business Insider - December 2nd, 2025 [December 2nd, 2025]
- Donald Trump Gets Worrying Sign Ahead of Midterms - Newsweek - December 2nd, 2025 [December 2nd, 2025]
- Tennessee Special Election Could Be Kamala Harris Revenge on Donald Trump - Newsweek - December 2nd, 2025 [December 2nd, 2025]
- Drug trafficking: Donald Trump says he is 'okay' with striking Mexico - France 24 - November 18th, 2025 [November 18th, 2025]