Trump administration fires Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan

CBS News

Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan was ousted by the Trump administration Tuesday, on President Trump’s first full day in office.
Fagan was relieved of her duties Monday night in a workforce-wide message by Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman.
The Coast Guard commandant is appointed for a four-year term, and Fagan had served two years.
2 in command, was named acting Coast Guard commandant, according to Huffman’s note.
The Coast Guard, which sits under the Department of Homeland Security, has faced a budget crunch for several administrations.

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Commander of the Coast Guard Adm. On President Trump’s first full day in office, the Trump administration fired Linda Fagan on Tuesday. Fagan became the first female head of a U.S. branch in 2022. S. . militaristic.

In a message to the entire workforce Monday night, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman relieved Fagan of her responsibilities.

In accordance with my statutory duties as the Department of Homeland Security’s Acting Secretary, I have replaced Admiral Linda L. Part of the brief message said, “Fagan of her duties as Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.”. “I am grateful to her for her service to our country over the course of her lengthy and remarkable career. “.”.

Fagan had been the Coast Guard commandant for two of his four-year term.

According to a statement from a senior DHS official, Fagan was fired “due to her operational shortcomings, leadership shortcomings, and incapacity to further the strategic goals of the U.S. A. Coast Guard. “.

The official specifically accused her of failing to address border security threats, pointing to “ineffective deployment of Coast Guard assets” to support efforts to interdict fentanyl and other illegal substances and “insufficient coordination” with DHS on operations along maritime borders.

“Significant deficiencies” in hiring and poor management, including “[i]nadequate accountability for acquisition failures highlighted during the Trump 45 Administration,” were also mentioned by the official. “.

While serving as the service’s commander, Fagan sought to increase hiring and retention in the face of a decline in the U.S. S. the military. As CBS News noted last year, the U.S. A. For the first time since 2007, the Coast Guard was able to acquire the officers, reserves, and active-duty personnel it needed.

Hagan was also chastised by the official for “[e]xcessive focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies, including at the US Coast Guard Academy, diverting resources and attention from operational imperatives.”. “.

After earlier disclosures that the Coast Guard had handled sexual harassment and assault claims improperly, Fagan sought to restore confidence in the agency’s own ranks as well as in the corridors of Congress. However, the official attributed the “failure to adequately address the systemic issues” to Fagan’s “leadership culture unwilling to ensure accountability and transparency in protecting service members.”. “,”.

Administrator. Lunday, Kevin, the service’s No. Huffman’s note stated that the 2 in command was appointed acting Coast Guard commandant. In June of last year, Lunday was appointed vice commandant.

Throughout multiple administrations, the Department of Homeland Security’s Coast Guard has struggled with financial constraints. Fagan and other recent commandants had pleaded with lawmakers to provide funding for the building of new ships and the maintenance of existing ones in order to support the service’s growing worldwide role in defending national security. Its first polar icebreaker in over 25 years was formally welcomed by the Coast Guard last year.

Elon Musk, a Trump adviser who spearheads the new administration’s attempt to reduce federal government spending, responded to the news on X by writing that “undermining the U.S. A. It is no longer acceptable for the military and border security to fund racist and sexist DEI nonsense. “.”.

The news of Fagan’s dismissal was first reported by Fox News.

contributed to this report.

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