Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant of the Coast Guard, testifies in July 2023 before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Stars and Stripes)
Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant of the Coast Guard, was fired from the service’s top job because of her leadership deficiencies, operational failures and her handling of the service’s recent sexual-assault scandal, according to a senior official in the Department of Homeland Security.
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman relieved her of command and announced the change in a message to the service Tuesday.
“She served a long and illustrious career, and I thank her for her service to our nation,” according to the message. Adm. Kevin E. Lunday is now the acting commandant. He was previously the vice commandant.
But a senior department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Fagan was fired because she failed to address border security and meet recruiting and retention goals, mismanaged acquisitions and lost trust with the force in her handling of the cover-up of a sexual assault scandal at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.
“The failure to adequately address the systemic issues exposed by this investigation has underscored a leadership culture unwilling to ensure accountability and transparency in protecting service members,” the official said.
The investigation, known as Operation Fouled Anchor, was an internal review of sexual assault and harassment cases that occurred between 1990 and 2006 at the academy. As part of Fouled Anchor, the Coast Guard Investigative Service reviewed 102 reports of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment at the academy and identified 63 potential victims.
Investigators finalized the report on Jan. 31, 2020, which found the academy knew of accusations against 30 of 43 people but only five were reported to criminal investigators. It concluded academy leaders failed to take sufficient action to ensure a safe environment for cadets, yet no one was held accountable. Congress only found out about Fouled Anchor in June 2023 as reporters at CNN learned of its existence and began reporting about it.
Retired Adm. Karl Schultz, who served as commandant until June 2022 when Fagan took over, made the decision to bury the Operation Fouled Anchor report, according to a House investigation of the cover-up.
In addition to scandal, the service has been plagued with ballooning costs and delays on the acquisition of a new ice breaker. The Coast Guard in November hired a commercial ice breaker to serve in the Arctic region while the service waits for its own.
Fagan also “excessively focused” on initiatives meant to improve the diversity and equity among Coast Guard members and at the academy, the official said.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday — the first day of his second term in the White House — to terminate all diversity programs in federal government.
Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., said Fagan’s firing was an abuse of power and she had an “outstanding record.” She led the Coast Guard to exceed recruitment goals for the first time in seven years, interdicted more than $2.5 billion in illegal drugs and demonstrated an aggressive commitment to countering adversaries in the Arctic.
“Following her predecessor’s cover up of Operation Fouled Anchor, Adm. Fagan provided a fundamental change in Coast Guard leadership and has led the service with transparency and honesty to rebuild trust and correct the persistent sexual misconduct problems facing the service,” said Courtney, whose district includes the Coast Guard Academy.
