Trailblazing US Coast Guard leader becomes first top military officer fired after Trump takes office
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- The commandant of the US Coast Guard has been removed from her position.
- Adm. Linda Fagan was the first uniformed woman to lead a branch of the US military.
- A senior DHS official said she was sacked over DEI initiatives, border concerns, and other issues.
The commandant of the US Coast Guard has been removed from her position over DEI initiatives, border security concerns, and other issues, a senior Department of Homeland Security official confirmed to Business Insider on Tuesday, just one day after the new Trump administration took over.
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman said in a memo to the Coast Guard workforce on Tuesday morning that he had relieved Adm. Linda Fagan from her role. He did not provide any reason for the dismissal, which came just hours after President Donald Trump's inauguration.
"She served a long and illustrious career, and I thank her for her
service to our nation," Huffman, who was appointed to the acting role earlier in the day, wrote in the memo.
Fagan was the first uniformed woman to lead a branch of the US armed forces and had been serving in the top Coast Guard role since 2022. With her dismissal, she's now become the first top military officer to be removed under the new Trump administration. The president and members of his team had previously suggested that it would purge leaders across the armed forces.
A senior DHS official told BI that Fagan was fired "because of her leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance the strategic objectives" of the Coast Guard.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
The official listed several reasons for her removal, including an alleged failure to address key border security threats, delays and cost overruns in acquiring things like ships and helicopters, and the mishandling of investigations into sexual assault.
The official said that Fagan is to blame for shortfalls in recruiting personnel, although the Coast Guard met its recruitment goals for the first time in several years last October. They also criticized the insufficient interdiction of illicit substances despite numerous counter-narcotics operations that led to the interdiction of $2.5 billion in illegal drugs.
Fagan is also accused of putting "excessive focus" on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, which the official said diverted resources and attention from "operational imperatives."
Trump has previously criticized the military and other federal agencies over DEI initiatives and has already taken some actions to combat these policies at a federal level.
The Coast Guard did not comment on Fagan's dismissal. The DHS official and Huffman identified Adm. Kevin Lunday as the new acting commandant of the service. Fox News first reported earlier on Tuesday about the leadership shake-up, which has since been condemned by some lawmakers.
"Firing a Commandant at will by a new President also sets a bad precedent," Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell wrote on social media. "The complexity of the Coast Guard's diverse missions require continuity to protect lives and American interests."
Connecticut Rep. Joe Courtney called the dismissal an abuse of power, saying the decision signals Trump's "enduring interest to put politics over the best interest of our servicemembers and national security."
Fagan graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1985 and has been in the service for decades. Her predecessor, Adm. Karl Schultz, previously described her as "a top performer and a trailblazer" with a "distinguished career."
The Coast Guard is a branch of the military, although it falls under DHS rather than the Pentagon. It has more than 50,000 active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel.