The Trump administration has responded strongly. The article discussed claims that the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has softened its stance on banning the display of the Nazi swastika, while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dismissed these claims as “patently false.”
Under a new policy set to begin next month, the U.S. Coast Guard will no longer categorize the swastika— a symbol tied to fascism and white supremacy that has been linked to the deaths of millions of Jews and over 400,000 American soldiers in World War II—as a hate symbol. Instead, they will label Nazi-era insignia as “potentially divisive,” according to reports. This policy, effective December 15, aims to downgrade the classification of nooses and the Confederate flag as well, though showing the latter will still be banned.
In reaction to the report, USCG spokesperson Jennifer Prozai noted the Coast Guard disagrees with this characterization but would review the policy’s language.
The acting commander, Admiral Kevin Lunday, refuted the allegations in a post on X.
According to Lunday, the assertion that the U.S. Coast Guard would stop classifying swastikas, nooses, and other extremist symbols as banned is “completely false.” He emphasized that these symbols are still prohibited by Coast Guard policy, stating that the use and promotion of such imagery would be strictly investigated and punished. He reaffirmed the Coast Guard’s commitment to maintaining a safe and professional environment, insisting that extremist symbols contradict their core values and will be addressed seriously under existing policy.
This announcement was made public on Monday in a memo where Lunday reiterated that symbols or flags that provoke hatred or discord are not allowed.
The memo clarified that it wasn’t a revision of existing policy, but a new effort to combat misinformation and reaffirm the USCG’s ban on these symbols.
DHS, the overseeing agency for the USCG, reacted to the report by noting that it intends to celebrate Lundy’s memo, which specifically identified “nooses, swastikas, and any symbols or flags associated with hate groups” as “hate symbols.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized the Washington Post, asserting that it was attempting to misrepresent the Coast Guard by suggesting that it was relaxing its stance on swastikas and nooses, labeling the report as fake.
She emphasized there is no retreat from the 2025 policy, stating that the Coast Guard has issued guidance that strengthens the existing prohibition against hate symbols. McLaughlin expressed regret that the Coast Guard needed to divert its focus from its protective mission to address what she called unfounded accusations from the media.
DHS Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar called the publication “utter garbage,” further asserting that the claims in the article were entirely inaccurate.
