The Trump administration has dismissed two senior Department of Homeland Security leaders within the last day.

In an all-hands message on Tuesday morning, acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman said he relieved Adm. Linda Fagan of her duties as commandant of the Coast Guard.

“She served a long and illustrious career, and I thank her for her service to our nation,” Huffman wrote.

He added that Adm. Kevin Lunday, the vice commandant of the Coast Guard, will serve as acting commandant.

Huffman did not provide a reason behind Fagan’s firing. The commandant position is typically a four-year term. Fagan was confirmed by the Senate to serve as the Coast Guard’s top officer in June 2022.

Fagan was also the first woman to lead the Coast Guard. During her tenure, the service grappled with serious personnel shortages. Congressional probes also uncovered a history of major sexual misconduct within the Coast Guard.

House Democrats criticized the Trump administration’s decision to dismiss Fagan.

“Commandant Linda Fagan served the Coast Guard with distinction, and the decision to abruptly remove her from command is misguided and will hurt readiness,” House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (R-Wash.) said in a statement. “She led efforts to boost lagging recruitment numbers, reaching out to communities who have not previously been represented in the Coast Guard.”

Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) noted the Coast Guard’s sexual misconduct scandal happened prior to Fagan taking over as commandant.

“It showed that the Coast Guard’s bad handling of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases in training and at sea needed to stop,” Cantwell said in a statement. “The commandant who stood up to clean up this mess instead of burying it should be rewarded, not dismissed. Firing a commandant at will by a new president also sets a bad precedent. The complexity of the Coast Guard’s diverse missions require continuity to protect lives and American interests.”

TSA head fired

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is also eyeing new leadership at the Transportation Security Administration.

In a message to TSA’s workforce on Monday morning, Administrator David Pekoske said he was “advised by President-elect Trump’s transition team that my time as your administrator will end at noon ET today.”

Pekoske’s ouster comes midway through his second five-year term as TSA administrator. DHS and the White House did not respond to questions about the reason behind Pekoske’s dismissal and plans for TSA leadership moving forward.

Trump first nominated Pekoske to serve as TSA administrator in 2017. After being re-nominated by President Joe Biden, the Senate confirmed Pekoske for a second five-year term in 2022.

During his tenure, TSA worked with Congress to grant the agency’s screening workforce a historic pay increase. TSA also negotiated an expanded collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees.

TSA last week reported that workforce attrition dropped as air travel reached record levels in 2024.

“I will sincerely miss being part of this amazing agency and having the opportunity to serve alongside this incredible team. It has been an honor of a lifetime!” Pekoske wrote to the TSA workforce on Monday. “I leave with the utmost respect for you and immense pride in what we have accomplished together since August 2017.”

Noem advances in Senate

Trump’s pick to lead DHS is also moving forward in the Senate. The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Monday evening voted 13-2 to advance South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s nomination.

“Throughout the confirmation process, Gov. Kristi Noem has demonstrated she is prepared to face the challenges of being DHS secretary,” Chairman Rand Paul said in a statement. “I’m proud to support her nomination and commend the committee for the bipartisan effort in advancing her nomination to the Senate floor, where she will be confirmed quickly.”

During her confirmation hearing last week, Noem discussed the Trump administration’s immigration agenda, disaster relief plans, and potential Secret Service reforms.

She also pledged to work with Congress to “rein in” the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Noem criticized CISA’s past work on mis- and dis-information.

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