The Trump administration has fired US Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Lee Fagan, the first female uniformed leader of an armed forces branch, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
US former president Joe Biden nominated Fagan to lead the Coast Guard, which is responsible for maritime security, in 2021. She became the first female uniformed leader of a branch of the US Armed Forces.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman, in a message posted on the Coast Guard's website, confirmed Fagan had been relieved of her duties after a "long and illustrious career."
The Homeland Security Secretary had terminated Fagan from her position because of "leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the US Coast Guard," a senior Department of Homeland Security official said.
One of the reasons, the official said while speaking on the condition of anonymity, was Fagan's "excessive" focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
Fagan and the Coast Guard could not be immediately reached for comment.
Trump has vowed to eliminate DEI programs in federal government agencies. The goal of the programs had been to increase diversity throughout the armed forces to better reflect the American population they serve to protect.
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