The Trump administration fired the commander of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Linda L. Fagan, within 24 hours of President Trump’s inauguration. The admiral, who was sworn in as the service’s chief on June 1, 2022, was the first female officer to lead a branch of the U.S. armed forces.
In a message sent Tuesday morning to all Coast Guard units, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine C. Huffman said she had relieved Admiral Fagan of his duties.
“She has had a long and illustrious career, and I thank her for her service to our nation,” Mr. Huffman said without explaining why her tenure was abruptly ended.
However, a lengthy statement from the department said Admiral Fagan was fired for several reasons, many of which related to Mr. Trump’s key issues.
“She was terminated due to leadership lapses, operational failures, and failure to advance the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard,” the statement said.
The statement offers a long list of reasons for Admiral Fagan’s removal, including what it calls “failure to respond to threats to border security” – specifically saying she failed to deploy adequately use Coast Guard resources to prevent “fentanyl and other illicit substances” from entering the country. UNITED STATES.
He also criticized her leadership in staff recruitment and retention and accused her of mismanaging the acquisition of icebreakers and helicopters.
The statement claimed she had “overfocused” on diversity, equity and inclusion policies and accused her of failing to adequately address “systemic issues” related to sexual harassment at the workplace. U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.
Mr. Trump has promised to eradicate federal government initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion, signing executive orders to that effect on his first day in office.
Efforts to reach Admiral Fagan for comment Tuesday were unsuccessful, and a Coast Guard spokesperson declined to comment further.
The release states that Admiral Kevin E. Mondayy, who was Admiral Fagan’s second-in-command, is now the acting commander of the Coast Guard.
Admiral Fagan, who previously served as the service’s second-in-command, graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1985 as part of the sixth class that included women. She rose through the ranks, serving at sea on an icebreaker and ashore as a maritime safety officer.
She was the 27th commander of the service, which traces its roots to the creation of the Revenue Cutter Service shortly after the Revolutionary War, and merged with the U.S. Life-Saving Service to become the Coast Guard in 1915.
