The head of the U.S. Coast Guard has been removed from his post as newly inaugurated President Donald Trump followed through on his promise to fire top officials.
On Tuesday, US media reported that four-star General Linda Fagan had been ousted less than 24 hours after Trump took office.
She was part of a wave of firings as Trump sought to rapidly reshape the executive branch, wielding a slogan left over from his days as a reality star: "You're fired."
Fox News first reported Fagan's ouster. In 2022, Fagan became the first uniformed woman to lead the United States Armed Forces.
The incoming administration deemed Fagan unfit for duty for a number of reasons, according to a statement to the Coast Guard obtained by The New York Times.
"She was terminated due to leadership shortcomings, operational failures, and an inability to advance the U.S. Coast Guard's strategic objectives," the statement said.
It also claims Fagan pursues an "undue focus" on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, known by its acronym DEI.
Trump has pledged to dismantle DEI programs within the federal government, calling them “illegal and unethical.”
On Monday night, shortly after being sworn in, Trump issued an executive action to that effect calling on federal agencies to “terminate” DEI initiatives.
"The public release of these plans demonstrates enormous public waste and shameful discrimination," he wrote.
Fagan was one of several officials targeted by Trump on his first and second days in office.
Late Monday night, Trump also posted a message on his platform, The Truth Society, mocking the mass firings.
"My Office of Presidential Personnel is actively identifying and removing thousands of presidential appointees from the previous administration who are inconsistent with our vision of 'Make America Great Again,'" he wrote.
The post states that Trump sent the following message to four people: "You're fired."
Among them was former Trump appointee-turned-critic Gen. Mark Milley, who told reporter Bob Woodward that the Republican leader was "completely fascist."
Another person mentioned in the post is Hispanic-American chef Jose Andres, founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides meals in disaster areas .
Andres served on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition under Trump's predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, who awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this month for his humanitarian work.
The chef took to social media on Tuesday to speak out, hitting back at Trump's "you're fired" post.
"I submitted my resignation last week...my two-year term has ended," Andres wrote, punctuated by laughing and shrugging emojis.
"Mr. President, may God grant you the wisdom to put aside politics and name-calling ... and instead inspire ordinary people who are working to bring America together."