At a time of rising global threats, it is reckless to undermine a proven national security tool. Yet that’s exactly what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did when he announced the elimination of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) at the Department of Defense and dismissed the WPS agenda as “woke.” He couldn’t be more wrong — and dangerously so.
WPS is not some fringe initiative, it’s the law of the land. It was created with overwhelming bipartisan support and signed by President Trump in 2017. Republicans backing it included then-Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) (now secretary of Homeland Security) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) (now secretary of State) championed the law in Congress. It also had strong Democratic leadership with prime sponsors Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.).
The law reflected a strategic truth: when women are at the table — in national security decision-making, conflict prevention, peace negotiations and reconstruction efforts — peace tends to last longer, communities recover faster and missions are more effective.
This isn’t a feel-good theory; it is sound policy backed by decades of research and the hard realities of conflict zones, where women are often the first responders, last line of defense for families, and unfortunately, an afterthought.
In places where rape is used as a weapon of war and instability rips communities apart, women aren’t bystanders. Women rebuild schools, lead reconciliation efforts and restore order. The WPS Act acknowledges their role and requires four U.S. agencies to elevate it through training, interagency strategies and congressional oversight.
At the Department of Defense, WPS efforts give us an advantage over our competitors and an edge on the battlefield. WPS advances women’s meaningful participation in the military, establishing dedicated advisors across Department of Defense offices, and integrating with allies and partners. Thanks to this work, American servicemembers are better equipped to tackle their missions with a whole-of-population approach.
Destroying the work of WPS defies law, data and experience. Concerningly, it hands our adversaries a win by sidelining half our population from global problem-solving.
Women’s leadership in peace and security isn’t about ideology. It’s about impact. WPS makes us safer. Stronger. Smarter.
President Trump should instruct his Cabinet to respect the law he signed. And Congress must continue to fund these efforts.
Women, Peace, and Security isn’t just smart policy. It’s the law, and it’s vital to our national interest.
Lois Frankel represents Florida’s 22nd District and is co-chair of the bipartisan Women, Peace, and Security Caucus.
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