DHS officials dismiss head of Coast Guard from office

Bipartisan lawmakers accuse Commander Linda Fagan and the USCG of obstructing scrutiny from Congress.

, and ASMedia

2025 September 27 . 4:23 AM

2 min read

DHS authorities dismiss Coast Guard commander from position

DHS officials dismiss head of Coast Guard from office

Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan was removed from her position on January 21, 2023, a day into President Donald Trump's new administration. The termination was first reported by Fox News on Tuesday. The reason for Fagan's termination, according to a senior Homeland Security Department official, was due to leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and an inability to advance the strategic objectives of the US coast guard. Specifically, issues cited included Fagan's handling of Operation Fouled Anchor, a decades-long investigation into sexual assault allegations at the coast guard academy, and her perceived excessive focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. Operation Fouled Anchor, which ran from 2014 to 2020, examined about 100 sexual assault allegations that occurred between the late 1980s and 2006 and were generally mishandled. The post from the X account on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee claimed that the US coast guard concealed Operation Fouled Anchor from Congress, failed to address both historic and persistent sexual misconduct at the US coast guard academy, and neglected to help victims and hold perpetrators accountable. In response to these allegations, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., opposed the removal of Fagan, arguing that Operation Fouled Anchor was covered up before she took command. However, the DHS official also cited Fagan's handling of Operation Fouled Anchor as a reason for her removal. White House officials, Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who lead the subcommittee investigating Operation Fouled Anchor, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In a move to address the issues uncovered by Operation Fouled Anchor, the review ordered by Fagan following the publicization of the operation prompted 33 actions to improve the US coast guard's culture. One of the implemented actions is the safe-to-report policy that protects victims and eyewitnesses who report sexual misconduct from being punished for minor collateral misconduct. Despite these challenges, the US coast guard reported a significant achievement in 2024. For the first time since 2017, the coast guard met its recruiting target, bringing on more than 4,400 active duty members. Vice Commandant Kevin Lunday is currently leading the US coast guard in an acting capacity. The complexity of the coast guard's diverse missions requires continuity to protect lives and American interests, according to Sen. Maria Cantwell. She argued that firing a commandant at will by a new president sets a bad precedent. Instead, she stated that the commandant who stood up to clean up this mess instead of burying it should be rewarded, not dismissed. As investigations into Operation Fouled Anchor continue, members of the House and Senate have accused the coast guard of not complying with their respective investigations. Congresswoman Veronica Escobar and Congressman Chris Stewart have accused the coast guard of not complying with investigations related to Operation Fouled Anchor. Similarly, Sen. Maria Cantwell stated that the commandant who stood up to clean up this mess instead of burying it should be rewarded, not dismissed. In conclusion, the removal of Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan and the ongoing investigations into Operation Fouled Anchor have raised questions about leadership, accountability, and the culture within the US coast guard. As these issues are addressed, it is crucial to ensure continuity in the coast guard's mission to protect lives and American interests.