President Donald Trump dismissed Admiral Linda L. Fagan, the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and the first woman to lead a branch of the armed forces, during his inauguration night celebrations......CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>.....CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
Fagan learned of her termination while waiting to take a photograph with Trump at the Commander in Chief Ball, according to The New York Times.
Her dismissal is part of the administration’s broader restructuring of military leadership and its efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the federal government.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Coast Guard, cited multiple reasons for Fagan’s removal, including an “excessive focus on diversity, equity and inclusion,” failure to address border security threats, and the service’s longstanding recruitment issues.
The department also referenced Fagan’s handling of Operation Fouled Anchor, an investigation into historical sexual assault allegations at the Coast Guard Academy dating back to the 1980s.
Fagan’s firing sent shockwaves through the Coast Guard and broader military community.
Retired Admiral Thad Allen, who previously served as commandant, criticized the decision, calling it politically motivated.
“Her dismissal is not a matter of her performance. It is political performance. One that should cause great concern for current and future military leaders,” Allen told Homeland Security Today.
Former senior Coast Guard officials Master Chief Petty Officer Charles Bowen and Master Chief Vincent Patton also defended Fagan’s record.
“Admiral Fagan’s firing is wrong. There is no other way to say it,” they said in a joint statement.
“She is an honourable officer who has given her entire life to the Coast Guard, and this is the wrong way for the new administration to end her career.”
The two officials argued that Fagan had inherited the issues cited by DHS and had “positively impacted current efforts” to address them.
Fagan, who graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1985 as part of the sixth class to admit women, has served in the military for nearly 40 years.
She was appointed as commandant in 2022, making history as the first woman to lead a branch of the U.S. armed forces.
Her dismissal is part of a larger shakeup in military leadership under the Trump administration.
Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has previously stated that women should not serve in combat roles.
Additionally, Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office eliminating DEI programs across the federal government.
With women making up approximately 230,000 of the 1.3 million active-duty U.S. service members, Fagan’s removal has raised concerns among military and policy experts about the future role of women in the armed forces under the new administration.