The Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard has now reportedly been dismissed due to concerns with border security, recruitment issues, and a perceived “erosion of trust,” as verified by a senior DHS official to Fox News.
Admiral Linda Lee Fagan, 61, has been dismissed by Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman, according to the official.
Fagan has exhibited leadership shortcomings, operational inefficiencies, and an incapacity to forward the strategic goals of the Coast Guard.
This encompasses the inadequacy in addressing border security threats, deficient leadership in recruitment and retention, mismanagement in procuring essential assets such as icebreakers and helicopters, an overemphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and a “deterioration of trust” stemming from the mishandling and concealment of Operation Fouled Anchor, the Coast Guard’s internal investigation into sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy.
Fagan is charged with the inadequate utilization of Coast Guard resources to bolster national border security, particularly in the interception of fentanyl and other illegal narcotics.
She lacked adequate coordination with DHS to prioritize activities around maritime boundaries.
The DHS official stated that Fagan exhibited considerable deficiencies in personnel recruitment, exacerbating problems associated with operational readiness.
The official stated that the absence of new solutions to tackle retention challenges in essential specialties undermined workforce sustainability.
Her leadership was marked by continual delays and budget overruns in the procurement of critical assets, including as icebreakers and helicopters, which the official indicated compromised Coast Guard effectiveness in the Arctic and other important areas.
The insider additionally referenced insufficient responsibility for procurement errors that were emphasized during President Trump’s initial administration.
Fagan prioritized DEI regulations, notably at the Coast Guard Academy, which redirected resources and attention from operational necessities.
Operation Fouled Anchor revealed a cover-up of sexual assaults at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, which significantly undermined public trust in the Coast Guard, as well as in the U.S. Congress and the military.
The Coast Guard did not reveal the existence of Operation Fouled Anchor until 2023, while it was conducted from 2014 to 2019.
Fagan faced intense scrutiny from senators during her summer testimony at a Capitol Hill hearing, where she was interrogated regarding her failure to hold individuals accountable for the cover-up and for not providing additional documents requested by congressional lawmakers concerning the mishandling of issues at the service’s academy.
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