Women hold 17.4% of senior national security posts, Senate report finds

A new report by Senate Democrats reveals that women currently occupy just 17.4% of Cabinet and Cabinet-level positions in the Trump administration. The figure marks a sharp decline from the 52% share recorded during the Biden administration. The analysis was commissioned by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The document details a reversal of policies the president previously supported, arguing these changes weaken U.S. influence abroad.

The drop in representation extends to the military and diplomatic corps. At the Department of Defense, only eight of 201 candidates for senior military posts this year were women, a 4% share that is less than half the decade average. No active-duty four-star officers are currently women. Among Senate-confirmed ambassadors, fewer than 25 missions worldwide are led by female diplomats, down from nearly half when the current president took office in 2025. The American Foreign Service Association notes that 93 of 196 ambassadorships remain unfilled.

The report highlights specific financial and programmatic reversals. The administration has terminated 86% of U.S. Agency for International Development awards involving maternal and child health. This decision potentially disrupts care for 16.8 million pregnant women annually. In Afghanistan, roughly 800 health clinics have closed following U.S. funding cuts. The United Nations projects 1,200 additional maternal deaths by 2028 as a result.

Administration officials defend the current staffing levels and policy shifts. White House spokesperson Olivia Wales stated that President Trump is a champion for women and moms. She cited the executive order on women's sports, the expanded child tax credit, and the new White House Women's Health Task Force. The White House also pointed to high-profile women serving as Susie Wiles, the first female chief of staff, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

State Department officials argue that the department has moved away from what they describe as discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices in favor of merit. Paloma Chacon, the principal deputy spokeswoman, noted that the department has appointed women to senior leadership roles. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on X that he ended the Women, Peace and Security program inside the Pentagon, calling it a divisive initiative that overburdens commanders. However, the report notes that Congress has not yet seen the administration utilize $112 million allocated for the fiscal year 2026 WPS strategy.

The report contrasts the current approach with the first Trump term, when a global women's economic development initiative aimed to improve opportunities for 50 million women in developing countries. That program was spearheaded by then-adviser Ivanka Trump. In 2017, President Trump signed the Women, Peace and Security Act, which required federal strategies to bolster women's participation in conflict prevention. The State Department did not hold its International Women of Courage Awards ceremony this year, the first interruption since the event began in 2007.

A senior State Department official said the administration is shifting toward locally managed health programs and measuring outcomes rather than service volume. On Afghanistan, the official explained that the administration suspended assistance that might reach the Taliban due to the group's restrictions on women. The official added that the United States remains the largest global health funder despite the cuts.