Department of War Shake-Up: More Women Enlist as ‘Common Sense’ Replaces Woke

Woke is out at the Department of War, and higher fitness standards are back. Since being sworn in as secretary, Pete Hegseth has acted to “remov[e] the distractions” from the department, including getting rid of “political correctness” and “DEI offices.”

WATCH: Government Shutdown Is Over, But the Pentagon’s Overhaul Is Just Getting Started

“No more dudes in dresses,” Hegseth said during a recent speech, adding, “We are restoring a ruthless, dispassionate, and commonsense application of standards.”

Amid the Department of War’s implementation of commonsense policies and higher fitness standards, more women have chosen to enlist in the U.S. military.

Over the summer, the Department of War, which was recently renamed from the Department of Defense, announced that about 24,000 women had shipped off to basic training in fiscal year 2025, up from about 16,700 in 2024.

Women want to be held to high standards, and that includes in military fitness, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson says on this week’s edition of “Problematic Women.”

Wilson joins the show to pull back the curtain on life at the Pentagon under Hegseth’s leadership and explain the department’s aggressive strategy behind defeating narco-terrorists.

Also on this week’s edition of “Problematic Women,” we discuss who “won” the government shutdown battle. Plus, is the culture shifting toward a celebration of the family, or is it only a trend among some celebrities?

AUTHORS

Virginia Allen

Virginia Allen is a senior news producer for The Daily Signal and host of “The Daily Signal Podcast” and “Problematic Women.” Send an email to Virginia. Virginia on X: @Virginia_Allen5.