Retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen honored; her committee report finds few women in Trump security posts
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The gist
Retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen received a New England Council Legacy Award for 50 years in public service.
Her committee report says women hold 17.4% of Trump Cabinet-level posts.
Background
Jeanne Shaheen is a U.S. senator from New Hampshire, in office since 2009 and the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; she announced in March 2025 that she would not seek reelection. She began in politics on Jimmy Carter's 1976 presidential campaign and in 1996 became the first woman elected governor of New Hampshire. The recent news covers the close of her career: a regional business group's lifetime award, a committee report she commissioned on women in national security roles, and the election to fill her seat.
How it unfolded
- Mar 12, 2025Shaheen announced she will not seek reelection in 2026, saying "It's just time" while insisting "I am not retiring."
- Oct 29, 2026The New England Council gave Shaheen one of two Legacy Awards at its annual celebration in Boston, recognizing 50 years in public service; documentary filmmaker Ken Burns received the other.
- Oct 30, 2026A report by Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, commissioned by Shaheen, found women hold 17.4% of Trump administration Cabinet and Cabinet-level positions versus 52% under Biden, and about 4% of senior military post candidates this year were women.
- Nov 3, 2026New Hampshire voters chose a new senator for Shaheen's seat, with former Republican Sen. John Sununu against Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas; her daughter Stefany Shaheen ran in the 1st Congressional District.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Shaheen says supporting women and girls is central to American national security, and her report documents what she calls the devastating consequences of the administration's actions.
- Official
- White House spokesperson Olivia Wales says President Trump is "a champion for women and moms across this country."
- Official
- A senior State Department official says the administration is shifting to locally managed health programs and measuring outcomes, and remains the world's largest global health funder.
- Official
- State Department spokeswoman Paloma Chacon says Trump has appointed women to senior diplomatic posts and the department now prioritizes merit in hiring.
- Support
- New England Council CEO James Brett says Shaheen "has served with distinction" and is "beloved for her warmth and self-awareness."