Trump govt ending swastika, noose as hate symbols? Coast Guard issues clarification after report

The US Coast Guard denied reports it is going to stop classifying swastikas and nooses as hate symbols and categorize them as ‘potentially divisive’ instead.

The US Coast Guard, under the Donald Trump administration, will stop classifying swastikas and nooses as hate symbols, The Washington Post reported. Instead, they will be categorized as ‘potentially divisive’. This will take place after a policy change comes in effect next month. It is reportedly part of a broader overhaul under the Trump administration that has also softened guidance on Confederate imagery. The Department of Homeland Security, however, has denied this report. “Y’all are just making things up now,” they wrote on X.

The policy change comes after the Donald Trump administration issued directives to loosen hazing and harassment rules. (X/@ChrisRossini)

The US Coast Guard also issued a statement in the wake of the report, contradicting its contents. It said, “The U.S. Coast Guard today announced the release of a policy and lawful order that doubles down on its current policies prohibiting the display, distribution or use of hate symbols by Coast Guard personnel. The policy and lawful order provides clear definitions, guidance and expectations for Coast Guard personnel. It describes prohibited hate symbols in alignment with military policy. This is not an updated policy but a new policy to combat any misinformation and double down that the U.S. Coast Guard forbids these symbols.”

The policy change, if it had come to pass, would have arrived after the Trump administration issued directives to loosen hazing and harassment rules, with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth arguing they were too broad.

Thus, while the Trump government would not be directly ending swastikas and nooses from being hate symbols, the reported change would have come under them.

Before the clarification, it prompted a wide array of reactions online. Notably, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary Dept. of Homeland Security, called the Washington Post report ‘an absolute ludicrous lie and unequivocally false.’ Newsweek too has reported on this.

The US Coast Guard also shared an official statement refuting the reports. “The claims that the U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses or other extremist imagery as prohibited symbols are categorically false. These symbols have been and remain prohibited in the Coast Guard per policy. Any display, use or promotion of such symbols, as always, will be thoroughly investigated and severely punished. The Coast Guard remains unwavering in its commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and professional workplace. Symbols such as swastikas, nooses and other extremist or racist imagery violate our core values and are treated with the seriousness they warrant under current policy,” Admiral Kevin Lunday, Acting Commandant of the US Coast Guard said.

Swastikas are associated with the Nazis and the noose, in American history, refers to violence against African-Americans, CNN reported. Thus, the reported recent decision has been met with criticism online.

Reactions to Coast Guard changes

One person slammed the recent move, making a riff on ‘not see’ and ‘Nazi’. They wrote on X, “Trump's Coast Guard no longer considers swastikas as hate symbols...anyone did Nazi this coming?”.

Congressman Jerry Nadler remarked, “The swastika is not a “divisive symbol.” It is the emblem of Nazism, white supremacy, and the genocide of six million Jews, a symbol American troops died by the hundreds of thousands to defeat. The Trump Administration’s decision to reclassify it as merely “potentially divisive” is indefensible. We cannot allow our government to downplay the symbols of fascism.”

“The swastika is no longer a hate symbol under Trump,” yet another remarked.

Notably, over 400,000 US troops died fighting the Nazis, who sported swastikas, in World War II.