Sign up for the Independent Women email for the latest news, opinion and features Get the Independent Women email for free Get the Independent Women email for free Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The Defense Department was recently rebranded the Department of War under the Trump administration. Hegseth has previously come under fire for his views and remarks about the inclusion of women in the military. He had previously told right-wing media personality Ben Shapiro that women are “life-givers, not life-takers.” During his confirmation hearing however, Hegseth said he supported women in the military. In 2022, as the overall number of service members dropped by 2.7 percent from the previous year, the percentage of women service members had increased.