A report released by Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee found that the number of women serving in senior U.S. national security and diplomatic positions has decreased during President Trump’s second administration. The analysis, commissioned by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), states that women now hold 17.4% of Cabinet-level positions, a decline from 52% during the Biden administration.
The report details a shift in policy from the first Trump administration, which had supported global initiatives for women’s economic development. According to the findings, the current administration has eliminated several offices responsible for these policies and terminated 86% of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awards related to maternal and child health. Sen. Shaheen stated that these actions impact American national security by affecting how the U.S. prevents conflict and strengthens international partnerships.
In the diplomatic corps, the report found that fewer than 25 diplomatic missions are currently led by female ambassadors, compared to nearly half of Senate-confirmed ambassadors being women when the president took office in 2025. At the Pentagon, women accounted for approximately 4% of candidates for senior military posts this year. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on social media that he ended the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program within the Department of Defense, characterizing it as a social justice initiative that overburdened troops.
White House and State Department officials defended the administration’s record, citing the appointment of women to high-level roles such as Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. State Department spokesperson Paloma Chacon said the department is prioritizing merit-based appointments over diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. A senior State Department official added that foreign assistance is being reorganized to reduce waste and prioritize locally managed programs.
The reorganization of the State Department and the dismantling of USAID represent a change in how the U.S. government manages its $112 million budget for Women, Peace and Security strategies. While the administration argues these moves align foreign assistance with U.S. interests and reduce waste, the Democratic report suggests that regional bureaus have not yet identified who is responsible for the programs previously handled by the eliminated Office of Global Women’s Issues. This marks a departure from the 2017 bipartisan Women, Peace and Security Act, which mandated a government-wide strategy for women's participation in peace efforts.
What happens next: The administration faces ongoing statutory requirements from Congress to implement a government-wide strategy and train military personnel, despite the Defense Secretary's stated end to the program at the Pentagon. Congressional oversight will likely focus on the $112 million in fiscal year 2026 funds that Democrats say have not yet been utilized. Meanwhile, the administration is moving forward with its health task forces and executive orders, such as the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" order and child savings programs. Future recruitment data will determine if the Pentagon's approach maintains the surge in female recruitment reported by the Press Secretary.