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By Monica Sager and Gabe Whisnant
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Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell told CNN's Pamela Brown Tuesday that she is "appalled" by the reported firing of U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Lee Fagan, the first female uniformed leader of an armed forces branch.
Newsweek has reached out to the White House and Coast Guard via email for comment.
Why It Matters
As part of Trump's agenda to "drain the swamp" and destroy the "deep state," numerous Biden-era officials and individuals perceived as unsupportive of Trump are expected to be replaced with members of Trump's inner circle or loyal allies. This follows Trump's warnings on the campaign trail about "enemies from within."
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Fagan was allegedly fired over cover-ups in Operation Fouled Anchor, which was the Coast Guard's secret internal investigation into sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy. It substantiated dozens of rapes and assault allegations from the late 1980s to 2006 that had been botched by Coast Guard officials at the time. The Coast Guard did not disclose the existence of Operation Fouled Anchor until 2023, despite its existence from 2014 to 2019.
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What To Know
According to Fox News, Fagan was fired from her role by acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman for "failure to address border security threats, insufficient leadership in recruitment and retention, mismanagement in acquiring key acquisitions such as icebreakers and helicopters, excessive focus on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and an 'erosion of trust' over the mishandling and cover-up of Operation Fouled Anchor."
Fagan was appointed as the 27th Commandant of the Coast Guard in 2022. She was the first woman to lead the Coast Guard or any branch of the U.S. military.
She faced tough questioning from senators over the summer for failing to hold anyone accountable for the cover up and withholding documents related to the mishandling of the problem at the service's academy.
The Washington state senator, Cantwell, went on to say on CNN on Tuesday, "You're going to fire her over the fact that she wanted to clean up a mess created on a previous watch. It's the wrong decision."
Fagan was also accused of ineffective deployment of Coast Guard assets for national border security, including intercepting fentanyl and other illicit substances, and for insufficient coordination with DHS on maritime operations. A DHS official cited significant failures in recruitment, worsening operational readiness and a lack of innovative strategies to address retention in critical specialties.
The official pointed to failures in addressing border security threats, challenges in staff recruitment and retention, mismanagement in acquisitions, and an overemphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as reasons for her termination.
The report about Fagan comes after Trump signed a number of executive orders on Monday aimed at securing the border and deporting thousands of illegal immigrants, which he promised to do during his presidential campaign. He also signed an executive order to eliminate DEI policies implemented across the U.S.
Under her leadership, delays and cost overruns in acquiring essential platforms like icebreakers and helicopters were said to have undermined capabilities in strategic regions, including the Arctic. The official also pointed to inadequate accountability for acquisition failures and claimed that Fagan's focus on DEI policies diverted resources from operational priorities.
Although the Coast Guard is an armed service, it operates under the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Pentagon. Trump adviser Elon Musk, who is spearheading the new administration's initiative to reduce federal government expenditures, hinted at efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in a post on X.
What People Are Saying
Elon Musk, the world's richest man, wrote on X: "Undermining the U.S. military and border security to spend money on racist/sexist DEI nonsense is no longer acceptable."
President Donald Trump on Truth Social: "Our first day in the White House is not over yet! My Presidential Personnel Office is actively in the process of identifying and removing over a thousand Presidential Appointees from the previous Administration, who are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again."
What's Next
Trump has pledged to eliminate DEI programs within federal government agencies. Earlier, Fox News quoted an unnamed senior Department of Homeland Security official who stated that Fagan was dismissed due to concerns regarding border security, recruitment, and an "erosion of trust."
More to follow.
Update: 1/21/25, 12:41 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with more information.
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