Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday said he will end the Women, Peace and Security program at the Pentagon, eliminating an initiative signed into law by President Trump in his first term and supported by some Cabinet members.
In an X post on Tuesday, the secretary said his department would adhere to the minimum requirements of the program but would lobby to kill it during budget talks.
“WPS is yet another woke divisive/social justice/Biden initiative that overburdens our commanders and troops — distracting from our core task: WAR-FIGHTING. WPS is a UNITED NATIONS program pushed by feminists and left-wing activists. Politicians fawn over it; troops HATE it,” Mr. Hegseth posted on X. “GOOD RIDDANCE WPS!”
The Women, Peace and Security Act of 2017 formalized this program, which aimed to improve the participation of women in peacebuilding.
The bill was notably authored by current Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who eight years ago represented South Dakota in Congress. The Washington Times reached out to her for comment.
Other Cabinet members have even praised WPS. Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the law was the first “passed by any country in the world focused on protecting women and promoting their participation in society.”
Still, ending the program is in line with Mr. Hegseth’s anti-woke crusade at the Pentagon. Since assuming his position, he has consistently stated his aim is to refocus the military on warfighting. That has meant ending diversity, equity and inclusion policies at the Pentagon and firing military leaders deemed too woke.
“Everything starts and ends with warriors in training and on the battlefield. We are leaving wokeness and weakness behind,” Mr. Hegseth said at a speech at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, last week. “And refocusing on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards and readiness.”
