The Coast Guard commandant, Adm. Linda Fagan, has been removed from her position by the acting secretary of Homeland Security.

Adm. Kevin Lunday, the vice commandant, is slated to fill the vacancy in an acting capacity until a replacement can be confirmed by the Senate.

“Under my statutory authority as the Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security I have relieved Admiral Linda L. Fagan of her duties as Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.
She served a long and illustrious career, and I thank her for her service to our nation,” acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman said in an announcement.

Fagan’s termination was reportedly related to problems with recruitment and retention, operational concerns involving the southern border, which has been a primary area of focus for the Trump administration during its first day in office, and a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, according to Fox News. An ALCOAST, which is a message to all members of the Coast Guard, announced Huffman’s decision.

The Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security, not the Department of Defense.

Trump and his pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, warned that the department was in store for a significant shake-up that could include firing several other senior military leaders.

“Every single senior officer will be reviewed based on meritocracy, standards, lethality, and commitment to lawful orders they will be given,” Hegseth said during his confirmation hearing last week.

Fagan was the first woman to lead a branch of the U.S. armed forces.

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At the time she assumed the position, Fagan said, “I’m immensely grateful to the many pioneers who paved the way, pioneers like Adm. [Owen] Siler, Dorothy Stratten, Ida Lewis, Dorothy McShane, Elizebeth Friedman. I’m proud to be a part of this long history of service, dedication, and groundbreaking, and I’m committed to carrying these principles forward.”

Former President Joe Biden, who appointed Fagan, said at her swearing-in ceremony that her “trailblazing career” demonstrated to “young people entering service that we mean it when we say there are no doors — no doors closed to women.”