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Boy Scouts counter Trump’s claim that they called his speech the ‘greatest ever’

Click to play video: 'Does Trump owe the Boy Scouts an apology?'
Does Trump owe the Boy Scouts an apology?
The White House defended remarks made by President Trump at a Boy Scouts of America event on Tuesday after the organization sent a letter to members apologizing for Trump's remarks – Jul 27, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that the head of the Boy Scouts called his remarks to the organization’s jamboree the “greatest speech that was ever made to them.”

But the Boy Scouts tell a different story than the president does.

WATCH: Crowds boo for Barack Obama during Donald Trump speech to Boy Scouts

Click to play video: 'Crowds boo for Barack Obama during Donald Trump speech at Boy Scouts'
Crowds boo for Barack Obama during Donald Trump speech at Boy Scouts

In an interview with Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Gerard Bakera transcript of which was published by Politico on Tuesday, Trump said he received a call from the head of the Boy Scouts saying that the speech he delivered in July 24 was the best speech that had ever been made to the organization, “and they were very thankful.”

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Trump’s remarks came in response to Baker saying that his speech had a mixed reception — Trump insisted that it did not.

READ MORE: Boy Scouts apologize for allowing Trump’s ‘political rhetoric’ into jamboree

The president’s speech to over 30,000 boy scouts touched on a number of political topics, including whether Barack Obama ever came to a jamboree.

The audience booed Obama in response to Trump’s question.

Boy Scouts chief executive Michael Surbaugh subsequently issued an apology on July 27 to anyone in the “Scouting family” who was offended by the “political rhetoric that was inserted into the jamboree.”

Scouts and their leaders listen to President Donald Trump at the 2017 National Boy Scout Jamboree at the Summit in Glen Jean, W.Va., Monday, July 24, 2017.
Scouts and their leaders listen to President Donald Trump at the 2017 National Boy Scout Jamboree at the Summit in Glen Jean, W.Va., Monday, July 24, 2017. AP Photo/Steve Helber

On Tuesday, the Boy Scouts told Time they were not aware of any call placed to the president by the organization’s national leadership.

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“The Chief Scout Executive’s message to the Scouting community speaks for itself,” it said, referring to Surbaugh’s July 27 statement.

BuzzFeed reporter Nidhi Prakash received the same message from the Boy Scouts.

In his statement, Surbaugh also said that the Boy Scouts have remained “steadfastly non-partisan” despite many attempts by outside parties to have them take positions on political issues.

“We sincerely regret that politics were inserted into the Scouting program,” he said.

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