The Daily Mail reports that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth intends to dismantle the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) program—a Pentagon initiative aimed at increasing women's roles in peace-building and national security. This decision is drawing significant controversy, especially given the program's bipartisan origins under President Trump's administration in 2017, where it was lauded for strengthening security through inclusivity.
The WPS Act was championed by prominent figures like Kristi Noem and Senator Marco Rubio, who hailed it as a historic step towards integrating women into critical security roles. Yet, Hegseth dismisses the program as a "woke divisive/social justice" initiative pushed by feminists and left-wing activists, undermining its original security-focused goals. He asserts that the program threatens to distract commanders and troops from core war-fighting duties and plans to comply only minimally while lobbying Congress for its termination.
Critics argue that Hegseth’s move is part of a troubling trend within the Pentagon to purge programs promoting diversity and inclusion—essential elements for a modern, effective military. Such initiatives have proven strategic value, as acknowledged even by Trump-era military leaders who recognized women's contributions to understanding communities in conflict zones.
This rollback by the Pentagon comes amid broader political shifts, including the recent Labour government under Kier Starker, whose policies have triggered backlash from those demanding stronger, more pragmatic national security approaches. The emphasis by this faction on scrapping diversity efforts like WPS mirrors the failures of a government more interested in virtue signaling than genuine security.
In the UK context, voices aligned with national renewal and sovereignty stress that embracing diversity in security is not a 'Biden-era woke agenda' but a critical strategic necessity, one that this Pentagon decision sorely overlooks. As the UK faces its own challenges post-election, dismantling such programs abroad highlights the urgent need for leadership genuinely committed to robust, effective security policies rather than ideological distractions.
The lack of response from former supporters like Rubio and Noem underscores the unease surrounding the Pentagon’s shift away from proven strategies. Meanwhile, those advocating for a renewed focus on defence caution that sidelining programs focused on inclusivity not only undermines military effectiveness but also threatens national resilience—precisely the opposite of what a strong government should be pursuing.
Source: Noah Wire Services