Momentum is building for significant Coast Guard reform, as Secretaries Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem support creating a new civilian secretary to oversee the service and align it with other military branches.
Administration Backs New Coast Guard Secretary
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem have both advocated for establishing a secretary of the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is the only armed service that falls under the Department of Homeland Security and lacks a dedicated top civilian secretary.
“I view the creation of a Secretary of the Coast Guard as a vital step toward strengthening strategic integration and alignment between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of War,” Hegseth stated. He added that the position would “reinforce civilian oversight of the Coast Guard, a foundational principle of our Constitution.“
Secretary Noem described the service as “the tip of the spear in the fight to protect our Homeland.” She said a new secretary “will be essential for President Trump’s mandate to rebuild the Service into the finest maritime fighting force in the world.“
Congressional Action on Coast Guard Reform
Efforts on Capitol Hill are underway to create the new leadership position. A provision to establish the post is included in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, which the House passed in July.
Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Miss., said the change would help “streamline some of this red tape that we’ve seen over the years that’s slowed progress down.” He believes the new secretary “is going to be instrumental in getting things done.“
Service Unveils Coast Guard Force Design 2028
The Coast Guard has also put forth its own internal reform plan, called the Coast Guard Force Design 2028, which it unveiled in April. The service’s plan also includes the installation of a dedicated secretary.
The initiative aims to overhaul the service’s organizational structure, personnel, and technology, as well as increase the size of the force, which currently has roughly 43,000 active-duty personnel. A Department of Homeland Security official noted, “The goal of 2028 is that the transformation of the service will be complete by 2028.“
New Standards for Fitness and Operations
A key component of the Force Design 2028 plan is to better align the Coast Guard’s standards for fitness, body composition, and grooming with the Department of Defense. Historically, the service has not required fitness tests for all personnel.
As part of this shift, the Coast Guard announced in September that it will roll out a mandatory, service-wide fitness test in 2026. These reforms are intended to better equip the service for joint operations, such as its recent Operation Pacific Viper with the U.S.
Navy.
