Elizabeth Warren has promised that at least half her cabinet will be made up of women or non-binary people if she is elected president.

The pledge comes as Warren – one of the top contenders to be elected Democratic nominee, along with Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders – seeks to secure female votes ahead of the crucial early primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire early next month. 

“Our government officials can best serve the American public when they reflect the diversity of the country itself,” Warren wrote of the pledge, part of her wider plan to revitalise the executive branch of “a government in crisis”, as published on Medium. “The Federal Government does a dismal job on diversity and inclusion.”

Warren follows in the footsteps of fellow Democratic nominee Pete Buttigieg, who announced in October his women’s right agenda, which included a cabinet that is at least 50% women.

By contrast, only four members – a measly 17% – of Donald Trump’s 23-member Cabinet are women, half as much as that of former president Barack Obama when he was in office.

The announcement comes just after Warren accused rival Bernie Sanders of saying a woman couldn’t win at the 2020 election. Sanders denied saying this.

In a statement, Warren shared her memories of a private meeting she had with Sanders in 2018. “Among the topics that came up was what would happen if Democrats nominated a female candidate [in 2020],” Warren said. “I thought a woman could win; he disagreed.”

Reiterating her position during last week’s Democratic debate, Warren said: “Since Donald Trump was elected, women candidates have out-performed men candidates in competitive races and in 2018, we took back the House; we took back statehouses, because of women candidates and women voters.”

Today on Twitter, Warren pointed out the next president will begin her first full day of work one year from today, adding that the next president will be “inheriting a government in crisis, infected by corruption” and “will need the expertise and drive to rebuild it and ensure it works for the people”. 

Then, she added: “I’ve for a plan for that”. 

Image: Getty