The Trump administration has dismissed US Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan, the first female uniformed leader of an armed forces branch, according to a US official.
It was first reported in Fox News, which cited Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman as saying Fagan was removed for prioritising diversity initiatives over border security concerns.
The Coast Guard confirmed her dismissal in a message to its members. The White House and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Fagan could not be reached.
Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen criticised the decision, calling it “misguided and will hurt readiness.”
He added, “The women and men of the US Coast Guard deserve better than reckless personnel decisions.”
While the exact reasons for Fagan’s termination remain unclear, the Coast Guard has faced mounting scrutiny over its handling of sexual assault cases.
A recent media investigation alleged the service covered up decades of abuse, and a Senate subcommittee found it failed to hold perpetrators accountable while shaming victims. Last year, more than a dozen former US Coast Guard Academy students filed claims seeking $130 million in damages, accusing the institution of failing to prevent sexual violence.
Trump adviser Elon Musk, who is leading the administration’s cost-cutting efforts across federal agencies, appeared to reference diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in a social media post but did not directly confirm Fagan’s firing.
“Undermining the US military and border security to spend money on racist/sexist DEI nonsense is no longer acceptable,” Musk wrote on X.
The Trump administration has pledged to eliminate DEI programs across federal agencies. It was cited that an unidentified senior DHS official who claimed Fagan was dismissed due to concerns over border security, recruitment challenges, and an “erosion of trust” within the service.
Fagan was nominated by former President Joe Biden in 2021 and made history as the first woman to lead a branch of the US Armed Forces. Although the Coast Guard is considered an armed service, it operates under the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Pentagon.
Boluwatife Enome
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