Actions Follow Suit With Big Department of Homeland Security Changes

Just after taking office, President Donald Trump made big moves in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by firing heads of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Coast Guard. He also cleaned out the entire Aviation Security Advisory Committee.

A memo was sent to the Aviation Security Advisory Committee on January 21, stating that its entire membership was being thrown out to uphold the administration’s “commitment to eliminating the misuse of resources and ensuring that DHS activities prioritize our national security.”

The aviation security committee isn’t being completely cut; it just won't be able to function with an empty staff. The group was formed in 1989 following the PanAm 103 bombing in Lockerbie, Scotland, and made permanent under the Aviation Security Stakeholder Participation Act of 2014.

It has been used to give “advice to the TSA administrator on aviation security matters, including the development, refinement, and implementation of policies, programs, rulemaking, and security directives pertaining to aviation security.” Members of the committee were representatives of major private organizations, with several being in a group related to PanAm 103 bombing victims.

Another major development with the DHS is Trump’s decision to fire two key leaders, both far from the end of their terms. The first, TSA Administrator David Pekoske, was originally appointed by Trump back in 2017 and was in the middle of his second five-year run. His leadership was potentially brought into question due to the recent uptick in stowaways on commercial flights.

The second official to be cut was Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan - the first female to lead a branch of the armed forces. She took over the position in 2022 and dedicated herself to solving the sexual assault culture in the Coast Guard and its service academy. Though Admiral Fagan received criticism last year for not cooperating with investigations, many Congress members were troubled by her removal.

“I think it’s appalling,” stated Sen. Cantwell. “Issues of sexual assault and sexual harassment at the Coast Guard Academy and at sea, and people covered it up... Now, we get a new Commandant—the first woman Commandant in the history of an Armed Forces of our nation to serve—she stood up and said, ‘this is a problem and we have to deal with it’ … And today, she's being fired for [it].”

FMI: www.dhs,gov