President Donald Trump has dismissed Admiral Linda Fagan, the first woman to lead a United States military service, as the head of the Coast Guard.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Coast Guard, did not immediately speak on Fagan’s dismissal, AFP reports.
The dismissal came less than 24 hours after the inauguration ceremony of the 47th US President at the Capitol on Monday.
“She served a long and illustrious career, and I thank her for her service,” acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman said in a message Tuesday to the Coast Guard.
According to a senior official, her departure was motivated by her failure to handle border security risks, an overemphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and an “erosion of trust” in the Coast Guard’s sexual assault investigations.
Another official mentioned supposed “leadership deficiencies.”
A senior DHS source was even more harsh, claiming Fagan was fired “because of her leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the US Coast Guard.”
“The admiral failed to address border security threats, mismanaged acquisitions, including helicopters, and put ‘excessive focus’ on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Trump and other Republicans have long criticised government programs geared at promoting diversity.
Also, border security is a top concern for Trump’s administration, as he proclaimed a national emergency at the US-Mexico border on Monday, the first day of his new term.
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s yet-to-be-confirmed candidate to lead the Defence Department, stated last week that senior officers “will be reviewed based on meritocracy, standards, lethality, and commitment to lawful orders,” implying that additional dismissals are conceivable.
Fagan has led the Coast Guard since 2022 and previously served as vice commandant.
“She served on all seven continents, from the snows of Ross Island, Antarctica, to the heart of Africa, from Tokyo to Geneva, and in many ports along the way,” an archived version of her biography, which is no longer available on the Coast Guard website, revealed.
