Trump's 2.0 Cabinet welcomed women, but they've been the first to leave

https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_blank">President Trump staffed his second-term Cabinet with more women than his first term and than his Republican https://cawp.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/resources/womenapptdtoprescabinets.pdf" target="_blank">predecessors, but three women have lost their seat at the table in less than two months.

The big picture: The departure of the women isn't surprising — all three were facing https://www.axios.com/2026/01/28/republicans-kristi-noem-resignation" target="_blank">bipartisan pressure over https://www.axios.com/2025/07/11/epstein-files-dan-bongino-pam-bondi-trump" target="_blank">various shortcomings and https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/business/labor-secretary-husband-sexual-assault-allegations.html" target="_blank">scandals.

But several men in the president's inner circle have their https://www.axios.com/2026/02/10/howard-lutnick-resignation-epstein-files-congress" target="_blank">own https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/dem/releases/durbin-speaks-on-latest-kash-patel-revelations-urges-replacement" target="_blank">controversies and remain at their posts.

The latest: Labor Secretary https://www.axios.com/2025/03/10/chavez-deremer-confirmed-labor-secretary" target="_self">Lori Chavez-DeRemer left the administration for the private sector, a somewhat expected departure following lingering scrutiny over several misconduct scandals.

• Her exit followed that of Attorney General https://www.axios.com/2026/04/02/pam-bondi-attorney-general-out" target="_blank">Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary https://www.axios.com/2026/03/05/kristi-noem-trump-ice-dhs" target="_blank">Kristi Noem.

What they're saying: There were valid reasons why those three said their goodbyes, Debbie Walsh, the director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University tells Axios.

• "It's not that you wouldn't think that a president would let a Bondi or a Noem or a Chavez-DeRemer go," she says. "But it's why only those three and not others."

Zoom out: FBI Director https://www.axios.com/2026/04/20/kash-patel-lawsuit-the-atlantic" target="_blank">Kash Patel and Commerce Secretary https://www.axios.com/2026/02/10/howard-lutnick-resignation-epstein-files-congress" target="_blank">Howard Lutnick have each faced calls to resign, but both remain in their jobs.

• Democrats have also https://www.axios.com/2026/04/15/iran-war-pete-hegseth-congress-impeachment-articles-democrats-reflecting-search-interest-order" target="_blank">accused Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, whose https://www.axios.com/2025/01/25/pete-hegseth-senate-confirmation-vance-trump" target="_blank">controversies began even before his confirmation, of abusing his power.

Yes, but: One prominent male did get shuffled: Mike Waltz left his position as Trump's national security adviser to become the U.S. ambassador at the United Nations after taking "full responsibility" for the https://www.axios.com/2025/03/24/atlantic-yemen-signal-hegseth-jeffrey-goldberg" target="_blank">Signalgate scandal.

• Waltz's prominence in the administration remains, as he is considered https://www.axios.com/2026/04/21/mike-waltz-iran-war-messenger" target="_blank">a key figure for the White House's messaging on the war in Iran.

By the numbers: https://www.axios.com/2024/12/16/frances-perkins-first-woman-cabinet-fdr-monument" target="_blank">Frances Perkins became the first woman in a presidential Cabinet less than 100 years ago.

Since then, around 60 women have followed in her footsteps, per Axios' tally.

• Though exact counts vary based on titles considered Cabinet-level, President Biden holds the record for the most women in his Cabinet.
• Trump has also made history by naming Susie Wiles as the first female White House chief of staff.

Five women remain in Trump's Cabinet: Wiles, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

• At one point, Trump seemed ready to dismiss Gabbard but was https://www.axios.com/2026/04/10/trump-tulsi-gabbard-roger-stone" target="_blank">ultimately dissuaded, Axios' Marc Caputo reported.

What they're saying: "President Trump has always been supported by many incredible, hardworking, and inspiring women – including those who serve in his Cabinet," White House spokesman Taylor Rogers told Axios in a statement.

• "Across the Trump administration, all of the agencies continue to implement the President's America First agenda."

Friction point: The departures come against the backdrop of the administration's broader evisceration of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within the federal workforce.

• In the U.S. military, where Hegseth has https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPAXyNiVXS8" target="_blank">demanded colorblind, gender-neutral standards, women who achieved https://www.axios.com/2025/01/21/trump-military-coast-guard-commandant" target="_blank">historic leadership https://www.axios.com/2025/02/22/trump-fires-general-charles-cq-brown" target="_blank">firsts have been ousted from top ranks with little explanation.
• DEI had become part of the modern cultural zeitgeist, but those https://www.axios.com/2025/09/26/trump-dei-sp-500-companies" target="_blank">diversity gains took a swift hit following Trump's re-election.

  Much of the progress American society has made to diversify the spaces where decisions are made has been because of "intentional work," Walsh says.

• She adds, "if we had just waited for white men in power to say we want to share this power ... we would be waiting a very long time."

Go deeper: https://www.axios.com/2025/03/22/equal-rights-amendment-state-constitutions" target="_blank">Equal rights fight under Trump 2.0 shifts to the states