Pentagon Drops Focus on Women: Hegseth Turns Back on Trump-Era Law

A Pentagon program aimed at promoting women’s roles in peacebuilding and conflict resolution is now set to be phased out.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has announced he will withdraw support for the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) program, which was written into U.S. law during Donald Trump’s first term as president.

Hegseth Breaks with Trump’s Legacy

The program, made law in 2017, received broad bipartisan backing in Congress — including from Republicans.

Both current Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem were co-authors of the legislation when they served in Congress.

At the time, the program was praised as a crucial step toward including women in efforts to build peace and ensure global security.

But now, eight years later, Hegseth describes it as a political burden. In a post on X, he referred to the program as “yet another woke, divisive social justice project from Biden that overburdens our leaders and troops — and distracts us from our core mission: warfare.”

Minimal Compliance — Then Phase-Out

According to Hegseth, the Pentagon will now adhere only to the legally mandated minimum requirements, and he plans to push for the program’s complete elimination through budget negotiations.

He described the initiative as “a UN program forced through by feminists and left-wing activists.”

The announcement has drawn attention — especially because the initiative originally had the backing of the then-Republican majority in the Senate.

Even Marco Rubio, now Secretary of State, recently referred to the law as “the world’s first legislation focused on protecting women and promoting their participation in society.”

Strong Pushback from Democrats

Several Democrats responded immediately. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who co-sponsored the Senate’s version of the bill, called Hegseth’s decision “dangerous and alarming,” adding that he “continues to ignore the invaluable role women play in our national security.”

Senator Tim Kaine also criticized the move, pointing out that Trump’s incoming Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had just praised the program during his most recent confirmation hearing.

A Political Statement in a Changing Climate

The dismantling of the program comes at a time when debates around so-called “woke politics” and identity issues are becoming increasingly prominent in U.S. defense and foreign policy. As such, Hegseth’s move is widely seen as a political signal directed at the Biden administration — despite the fact that the initiative originally emerged from a Republican-led Congress.

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