Defense &
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The Big Story 

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, who made history as the first female uniformed leader of a U.S. military branch, was unexpectedly ousted by President Trump less than 24 hours into his second term.

© Associated Press

In a message sent to all Coast Guard members, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman said he had relieved Fagan of her duties, thanking her for her service but offering no further explanation.

But in a lengthy Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement released Tuesday, the department outlined five major reasons for her removal, many of which center on the Trump administration’s vow to refocus U.S. military operations on readiness and lethality, in part by eradicating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. 

Fagan, 61, was terminated “because of her leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard,” a senior DHS official said in the release.

The highlighted pitfalls included a failure to address border security threats through “ineffective deployment of Coast Guard assets … especially in interdicting fentanyl and other illicit substances,” and insufficient coordination with DHS to prioritize operations along maritime borders.

DHS officials also accused Fagan of mismanagement of key acquisitions, prioritizing non-mission-critical initiatives such as DEI policies, and an erosion of trust following an internal investigation into sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy.

Evidence of Fagan’s time as the Coast Guard’s leader was quickly wiped from government websites in the wake of her firing, with the service’s official website for its senior leadership showing a blank space under “Commandant” and her biography page made unavailable.

With her removal came the naming of 32 new officials sworn into the Defense Department, among them advisers and deputy assistant secretaries, who do not require Senate confirmation. The officials will help Trump run the Pentagon as his nominees for top roles make their way through Congressional confirmation.

Fagan, also the Coast Guard’s first female four-star admiral, had served as the military branch’s 27th commandant since June 1, 2022, after former President Biden chose her to lead the service of 42,000 active-duty, 7,000 reserve and 8,700 civilian personnel.

Following news of her firing, Democrats quickly criticized the move, including Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), who took to the social platform X to declare her firing “an abuse of power that slanders her good name and outstanding record.”

Fagan’s removal is the first of several personnel changes expected to affect top U.S. military members, as Trump has promised to oust the generals and admirals he has deemed “woke.”

Read the full report at TheHill.com.

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