The first female commandant of the Coast Guard was fired on Tuesday amid concerns over her diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, and failure to address border security and recruitment, according to reports.

Adm. Linda Fagan, who began her commandant position in June 2022, was terminated by Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman, according to a message sent to all Coast Guard members on Tuesday.

"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," Huffman wrote.

Vice Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday will serve as acting commandant.

A senior DHS official told both Fox News and U.S. Naval Institute News on Tuesday that Fagan was fired because of “leadership deficiencies, operational failures, and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard.”

These issues included a lack of leadership in recruitment and retention, failing to address border security threats, mismanaging acquisitions of icebreakers and helicopters, “excessive focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies,” and an "erosion of trust" over the cover-up of Operation Fouled Anchor, the Coast Guard's internal investigation into sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy.