Updated July 25, 2017 19:39:06

United States President Donald Trump has given some pretty bizarre speeches in the past two years and this is up there.

In front of thousands of impressionable boy Scouts — kids — he declared he didn't want to talk about politics before attacking "fake news", Hillary Clinton and former president Barack Obama.

He brought up his election victory almost nine months ago and even threatened his own Health Secretary as well as the local West Virginia senator.

"Tonight, we put aside all of the policy fights in Washington DC," he began.

"Who the hell wants to speak about politics when I'm in front of the boy Scouts? Right?

"The Scouts believe in putting America first."

He didn't remain apolitical for long before picking on Washington DC: "We ought to change it from the word 'swamp' to the word 'cesspool' or, perhaps, to the word 'sewer'. But it's not good. Not good. And I see what's going on, and believe me I'd much rather be with you. That I can tell you," he said.

The crowd applauded.

Later it launched into a chant of, "We love Trump! We love Trump! We love Trump!"

To which the President responded: "Just a question, 'Did President Obama ever come to a jamboree?'"

"No!" came the resounding response.

"And we'll be back. We'll be back. The answer is no, but we'll be back," Mr Trump replied.

For the record Mr Obama did send a recorded message to a jamboree in 2010.

By now Mr Trump was getting up some momentum — he loves a crowd and uses an audience, no matter their age, to skewer anyone in his way.

Congressional roadblocks not far from his mind

Photo: Donald Trump's address had a decidedly political tone. (AP: Steve Helber)

Currently he's frustrated he can't get any changes to health care through the Republican-controlled Congress so he mentioned his Health Secretary Tom Price, who "still lives the Scout Oath" and was present.

"Hopefully, he's going to get the votes tomorrow to start our path toward killing this horrible thing known as Obamacare that's really hurting us, folks," he said.

"By the way, you going to get the votes? He better get them. He better get them. Oh, he better — otherwise, I'll say, 'Tom, you're fired'. I'll get somebody."

Then he turned on the local West Virginia senator, who so far hasn't backed the healthcare changes.

"[Mr Price] better get Senator [Shelley Moore] Capito to vote for it. You got to get the other senators to vote for it. It's time. After seven years of saying repeal and replace Obamacare, we have a chance to now do it. They better do it. Hopefully they'll do it," he said.

"A Scout is trustworthy, loyal — we could use some more loyalty, I will tell you that."

Declarations of loyalty and open threats to Cabinet secretaries.

Trump strikes different tone than predecessors

It's in stark contrast to former president George W Bush, who chose to focus on being helpful to others in his 2005 jamboree speech.

"There's a wise saying: We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. That truth is expressed well in the Scout slogan: Do a good turn daily. When you help someone in need, you're making America more hopeful, one heart and one soul at a time," he said.

His father George HW Bush also spoke to a jamboree in 1989, extolling the virtues of giving: "Today the Boy Scouts have taken on a new struggle: to defeat what you call the five unacceptables: illiteracy, unemployment, child abuse, drug abuse, and hunger", highlighting the tinned food Scouts had collected for others.

But Mr Trump wasn't looking outwards. It was all about his election-night victory, his pledges to boost defence spending, his promise to bringing back "trillions of dollars" from companies overseas.

Then he gave the kids a life lesson about a real estate magnate who went bust because he sold his company and took time off and then failed at a comeback.

"You have to know about the word momentum," he said.

"Do something that you love. Work hard, and never ever give up, and you're going to be tremendously successful. Tremendously successful.

"Remember your duty. Honour your history. Take care of the people God put into your life, and love and cherish your great country.

"If you do these things — and if you refuse to give in to doubt or to fear — then you will help to make America great again."

Some day you might even become President. Wouldn't that be a story to share around the camp fire.

Topics: donald-trump, world-politics, government-and-politics, united-states

First posted July 25, 2017 15:48:10