Overview
- Acting Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday issued a memo declaring that “divisive or hate” symbols, including a noose and a swastika, are prohibited and must be removed from all Coast Guard workplaces, facilities, and assets.
- The order supersedes reported guidance that had recast such imagery as “potentially divisive,” removed the term “hate incident,” and introduced a 45‑day deadline for reporting, with the Confederate flag still barred except in limited historical contexts.
- DHS and Coast Guard leaders initially denounced The Washington Post’s account as false before the service acknowledged a review of the language and circulated Lunday’s clarification to the force.
- Jewish organizations and Democratic lawmakers condemned the reported downgrade, arguing it risked chilling reports and signaled tolerance for extremist and racist symbols.
- The controversy unfolds within a broader rewrite of harassment and extremism standards directed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and as Lunday pursues Senate confirmation to lead the service.