Pete Hegseth Attacks Trump-Era Women’s Security Program \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized the Women, Peace & Security program, mistakenly calling it a “woke” Biden initiative. The program was actually bipartisan legislation signed by former President Trump in 2017. Hegseth’s remarks drew sharp bipartisan criticism amid ongoing controversies.
Quick Looks
- Hegseth slammed Women, Peace & Security (WPS) program as a “woke” initiative.
- WPS was bipartisan legislation, signed into law by Trump in 2017.
- Program aids military operations by promoting female engagement in conflict zones.
- Trump officials and family members had celebrated WPS achievements.
- Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Tim Kaine publicly criticized Hegseth’s inaccuracies.
- Hegseth already under scrutiny for mishandling sensitive military information.
- UN officials reaffirmed WPS’s impact on global peacekeeping and civilian protection.
Deep Look
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ignited controversy on Tuesday after boasting on social media about dismantling the Department of Defense’s “Women, Peace & Security” (WPS) program — a move that critics say exposes not only his misunderstanding of the initiative, but also his lack of awareness that the program was a signature accomplishment of former President Donald Trump’s administration.
In an agitated post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Hegseth derided the WPS program as a “UNITED NATIONS program pushed by feminists and left-wing activists,” asserting that “troops HATE it.” However, the reality is that the Women, Peace & Security Act of 2017 was a bipartisan piece of legislation, signed into law by Trump himself, with enthusiastic support from his own Cabinet and senior lawmakers from both parties.
The WPS initiative was designed to enhance the role of women in peace and security efforts, particularly recognizing that in many global conflict zones, male soldiers might struggle to communicate with or gain intelligence from local women for cultural or religious reasons. The program has been widely credited with improving battlefield outcomes and advancing American strategic interests.
At a recent Congressional hearing, Gen. Dan Caine, the newly appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a Trump appointee, praised the program. He testified that having female personnel on military operations allowed U.S. forces to engage more effectively with women and children, yielding valuable insights into local communities during military campaigns.
“When we would go out into the field after concluding an assault, we would have female members who would speak with those women and children on the objective, helping us to understand the human terrain in a new and novel way,” Caine said.
Trump himself met Caine during a visit to Iraq and reportedly developed a strong admiration for the general, leading to his appointment as Joint Chiefs Chairman.
Moreover, the legislation that established WPS was co-authored by prominent Republicans. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, then a U.S. Representative from South Dakota, co-wrote the House version of the bill alongside Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky. On the Senate side, Marco Rubio — now Secretary of State — co-sponsored the legislation, recently calling it “the first law passed by any country in the world focused on protecting women and promoting their participation in society.”
Far from being a progressive-only initiative, the WPS program was celebrated across the Trump administration. In 2019, Ivanka Trump heralded the program’s new partnerships, including efforts to train female police cadets in Colombia, positioning it as part of her broader women’s empowerment agenda.
Despite these facts, Hegseth’s social media post framed the program as an unnecessary burden. He pledged that the Department of Defense would do only the bare minimum required by Congress to maintain WPS compliance while working to dismantle it completely.
Hegseth’s attack drew immediate backlash on Capitol Hill. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said bluntly, “Hegseth has absolutely no idea what he’s doing.” Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, reading Hegseth’s post aloud during a hearing, said it contained “glaring inaccuracies” and called the remarks “far beneath the standard we should expect from the Department of Defense.”
Adding to Hegseth’s troubles is the ongoing controversy over his handling of sensitive information. Senate Democrats continue to question his qualifications after revelations that he used the commercial messaging app Signal to share military operational details over unsecured channels with other officials, his wife, and his brother.
Meanwhile, the United Nations also pushed back on Hegseth’s characterization of WPS. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric emphasized that the WPS agenda, originating from a unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution in 2000, had demonstrably improved the protection of civilians in conflict zones by increasing the number of female peacekeepers.
“It’s no secret that women remain largely on the periphery of formal peace processes and decision-making, which is not good for the cause of peace,” Dujarric said in response to Hegseth’s comments.
The broader real-world impact of the WPS initiative is widely acknowledged. It has provided military leaders with vital insights during conflicts, empowered local female leaders, and supported the professional development of women within security forces globally. Its successes have been cited as proof that involving women in security efforts leads to more sustainable and peaceful outcomes.
As of now, Hegseth has not issued a clarification or retraction regarding his statements. A spokesperson for the Defense Secretary did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
For critics, the episode reinforces concerns about Hegseth’s ideological rigidity and a pattern of dismissing programs based on political assumptions rather than evaluating their strategic or operational value. It also deepens anxieties that, under Hegseth’s leadership, the Department of Defense may become increasingly politicized — to the detriment of long-term U.S. security interests.
At a time when global conflicts are becoming increasingly complex and asymmetric, the sidelining of a proven and respected program like Women, Peace & Security could weaken U.S. influence and effectiveness abroad. Meanwhile, for many in Congress, Hegseth’s misstep is yet another signal that his leadership may be misaligned with the broader goals of America’s military and diplomatic communities.
Pete Hegseth Attacks Pete Hegseth Attacks
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