The Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard has been relieved of her duties due to concerns over border security, recruitment challenges, and an “erosion of trust,” a senior DHS official confirmed to Fox News.
Admiral Linda Lee Fagan, 61, was terminated by Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman, the official stated.
According to the official, Fagan exhibited leadership shortcomings, operational failures, and an inability to advance the strategic objectives of the Coast Guard, Fox News added.
These issues include a failure to address border security threats, inadequate leadership in recruitment and retention efforts, mismanagement in acquiring critical assets such as icebreakers and helicopters, an overemphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and an “erosion of trust” stemming from the mishandling and alleged cover-up of Operation Fouled Anchor—the Coast Guard’s internal investigation into sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy.
Fagan is accused of failing to effectively deploy Coast Guard assets to support national border security, including operations to intercept fentanyl and other illicit substances. She also demonstrated insufficient coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize maritime border operations.
According to the DHS official, Fagan’s tenure was marked by significant failures in recruiting personnel, exacerbating operational readiness challenges. The lack of innovative strategies to address retention issues in critical specialties further weakened workforce sustainability.
Under her leadership, there were persistent delays and cost overruns in acquiring essential assets, such as icebreakers and helicopters, which the official said undermined the Coast Guard’s capabilities in the Arctic and other strategic regions. These acquisition failures, which had been flagged during President Trump’s first administration, lacked adequate accountability, the official said.
Fagan also prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including at the Coast Guard Academy, which the official claimed diverted resources and focus away from operational priorities.
The cover-up of sexual assaults at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy revealed through Operation Fouled Anchor, has “deeply eroded trust” in the Coast Guard among the American public, Congress, and the military. Although the investigation spanned from 2014 to 2019, the Coast Guard did not disclose its existence until 2023.
Fagan faced intense scrutiny from senators during a Capitol Hill hearing this summer. She was criticized for failing to hold anyone accountable for the cover-up and for withholding additional documents requested by lawmakers regarding the mishandling of the issue at the academy, Fox reported.
A DHS official stated that the Coast Guard’s failure to address the systemic problems exposed by the investigation adequately reflects a “leadership culture” unwilling to ensure accountability and transparency in safeguarding its service members, Fox reported, citing service officials.
Admiral Linda Lee Fagan began her tenure as the 27th Commandant of the Coast Guard on June 1, 2022. In this role, she oversaw all global Coast Guard operations, including the management of 42,000 active-duty personnel, 7,000 reservists, 8,700 civilian employees, and the support of 21,000 Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers.
Fagan made history as the first woman to lead the Coast Guard or any branch of the U.S. military.
Meanwhile, Trump’s new Department of Homeland Security will be highly focused on fulfilling his campaign pledge of mass deportations after the Biden-Harris regime allowed more than 10 million people into the country illegally.
Incoming border czar, career immigration enforcer Tom Homan, initially planned to begin operations in Chicago, but he told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham Monday even those plans had changed after the information was leaked earlier this month out of caution for ICE agents.
During an interview with Fox News anchor Jesse Watters on Friday night, Homan further elaborated on the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement plans, declaring that ICE would “finally” be allowed to carry out its responsibilities by deporting millions of undocumented migrants.
Watters asked Homan about reports claiming, “There’s going to be a big raid all across the country.”
Homan not only vowed deportations on day one but that ICE is being told to enforce immigration law “without apology.”