Report: Women in Top U.S. Security Roles Decline Under Trump
A report from Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats finds a sharp decline in the number of women serving in high-level diplomatic and national security positions during the Trump administration.
The number of women holding senior diplomatic and national security roles in the United States has dropped significantly during President Trump's second term. According to a report released by Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, women now lead only 13% of U.S. diplomatic missions, a sharp reduction from previous years when that figure approached 50%.
The report details significant cuts to international programs focused on women’s health, including maternal care and reproductive health services, as well as initiatives targeting gender-based violence. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who commissioned the research, argued that dismantling this diplomatic and foreign assistance infrastructure negatively impacts global stability and weakens American international influence.
Data included in the report shows that women hold only 17.4% of Cabinet-level positions, a stark decrease from the 52% recorded under the previous administration. Additionally, the report notes that several prominent female cabinet officials have departed in recent months, with their successors being exclusively male. Recent figures indicate that only a small fraction of senior military and State Department nominees this year are women.
In response to the report’s findings, White House spokesperson Olivia Wales issued a statement defending the administration's record, asserting that the President remains committed to supporting women and mothers across the country.