Coast Guard Reinstates Policy Language That Downgrades Swastikas and Nooses to 'Potentially Divisive' After Renewed Backlash

The U.S. Coast Guard — which operates under the Department of Homeland Security — has once again touched off controversy after allowing new workplace guidance to reclassify swastikas and nooses as “potentially divisive” rather than clearly labeling them as hate symbols.

The drama began on Nov. 20, when The Washington Post reported that the service planned to stop classifying the Nazi-era swastika and nooses as hate symbols. A Department of Homeland Security official publicly called that initial report "an absolute ludicrous lie," "unequivocally false" and "fake crap."

But the available documentation told a more complicated story. As the Post's reporting spread and public outrage grew, the Coast Guard moved quickly: on Nov. 21 it issued corrective guidance that restored the designation of swastikas and nooses as "hate symbols." The reversal was described by the newspaper as "stunning and lightning-fast."

That, however, was not the final turn. Recent correspondence the Coast Guard provided to Congress — and reviewed by The Washington Post — indicates the service allowed a new workplace harassment manual to take effect that downgrades both symbols from explicit "hate symbols" to "potentially divisive." The new manual is posted online and states the prior version "is cancelled."

A U.S. Coast Guard cutter sits docked at Coast Guard Island Alameda on Nov. 21, 2025, in Alameda, Calif.(Getty Images)

According to the reporting, the policy "reclassifies swastikas and nooses from clear hate symbols to 'potentially divisive,' despite the uproar that previously prompted the service's senior officer to direct that both remain prohibited."

MS NOW has not independently verified the Post's latest reporting. A DHS spokesperson reportedly denounced the most recent coverage as "pathetic" and "false," but did not explain why language that downgrades nooses and swastikas was permitted to remain in the new policy.

Political Fallout

The back-and-forth has prompted bipartisan scrutiny. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) previously demanded explanations for the original change; those inquiries may resume in light of the newest developments. Late Tuesday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent a letter to the Homeland Security leadership demanding that the policy be revoked and writing that "granting hate symbols like swastikas and nooses even an ounce of respectability is absolutely an anathema."

Blumenthal added, "This edict besmirches the Coast Guard's honor, and DHS should be ashamed. At a time when antisemitic and racist violence are at unconscionable levels, it is absolutely appalling that DHS is doubling down on such a hateful, destructive policy."

At the time of this report, the department and Coast Guard have not publicly provided an additional explanation beyond the exchanges noted in the reporting reviewed by The Washington Post. Further developments and requests for congressional oversight are likely as lawmakers press for clarity.

Note: This article summarizes reporting by The Washington Post and related coverage; some elements of the coverage have not been independently verified by MS NOW.