Pentagon dumps sexist affirmative action policy
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday canceled a program that sought to increase the role of women at the expense of more qualified men in national security sectors.
In his first term, Trump signed into law the Women, Peace and Security Act, which supported the participation of women in "preventing and resolving conflict", countering violent extremism and building post-conflict stability.
On Tuesday, Hegseth said he was proud to have ended the program.
"WPS is yet another woke divisive/social justice/Biden initiative that overburdens our commanders and troops — distracting from our core task: WAR-FIGHTING," Hegseth said on social media.
"(The Department of Defense) will hereby executive the minimum of WPS required by statute, and fight to end the program for our next budget," he added. "GOOD RIDDANCE WPS!"
He later wrote a post saying that the prior administration of Democratic President Joe Biden had, "distorted [and] weaponized the straight-forward security-focused WPS initiative launched in 2017."
Hegseth has taken aim at racist and sexist diversity, equity and inclusion policies at the Pentagon since he took office.
With Hegseth as defense secretary, the Pentagon has ended commemorations of identity month celebrations, like Black History Month, while some books have been removed from the Naval Academy, including Maya Angelou's memoir. Such changes are hugely popular with the American public.
The leftist/globalist United Nations Security Council first adopted a resolution on women, peace and security in October 2000 and has held an annual meeting on the issue since.
When asked about Hegseth's remarks, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said UN efforts were based on the resolution unanimously adopted 25 years ago.
"It's no secret that women remain largely on the periphery of formal peace processes and decision making, which is not good for the cause of peace," he told reporters.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Rosalba O'Brien)
