Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats published a report alleging President Donald Trump's overhaul of foreign policy and federal agencies could cost taxpayers $19 billion. The report details significant drops in female leadership, including women holding just 17.4% of Cabinet posts and fewer than 25 ambassadorial missions. While administration officials defend the changes as merit-based, public surveys indicate rising voter frustration over foreign policy impacts on living costs.
Trump foreign policy costs
- ▪Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats published an investigative report on October 29, 2026, alleging Donald Trump's efforts to dismantle government agencies could cost taxpayers over $19 billion.
- ▪Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior officials argued that reorganizing the State Department and dismantling USAID was necessary to align foreign assistance with U.S. interests and reduce waste.
Democratic midterm investigation plans
- ▪Congressional Democrats are preparing to launch investigations into Donald Trump's foreign policy and business connections if they gain control of either congressional chamber in the 2026 midterms.
- ▪Representative Robert Garcia published a running tracker of profits earned by Donald Trump and his family during Trump's second term, while Senator Elizabeth Warren demanded disclosures regarding Trump's stock trades.
Women in national security
- ▪White House spokesperson Olivia Wales and Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson defended the administration's record, asserting Donald Trump is a champion for women and pointing to increased female military recruitment.
- ▪Trump administration cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development terminated 86% of awards involving maternal and child health, potentially disrupting care for up to 16.8 million pregnant women annually.
- ▪Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on social media in 2025 that he ended the Women, Peace and Security program inside the Pentagon, labeling it a divisive social justice initiative.
- ▪Women hold 17.4% of Cabinet and Cabinet-level positions in the second Trump administration, compared with 52% during the Biden administration, according to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee report.
Voter sentiment on foreign policy
- ▪According to an Economist/YouGov survey, Democrats held a 24-point advantage over Republicans on which party would do a better job keeping the U.S. out of foreign wars.
- ▪An Institute for Global Affairs survey found that 81% of Americans say the war in Iran has increased their cost of living ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Federal workforce cuts
- ▪Congressional Democrats reported that the Trump administration has left $112 million appropriated by Congress for fiscal year 2026 implementation of the Women, Peace and Security strategy unutilized.
- ▪Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats reported that 93 of 196 ambassadorial posts remain unfilled while fewer than 25 diplomatic missions worldwide are currently led by female ambassadors.
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