The U.S. Coast Guard is ending race-based admissions preferences in a college officer commissioning program as part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
The change affects the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative, a program designed to help college students enter the Coast Guard as officers.
The program previously included preference tied to students attending schools that met certain racial composition requirements.
The Department of Homeland Security announced that those requirements are being removed.
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DHS General Counsel James Percival said the administration is focused on eliminating what it views as unconstitutional DEI policies.
He argued that racial quotas in federal programs violate equal protection requirements and said the Coast Guard should focus on military readiness, law and public safety.
The Justice Department also backed the change.
Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said access to opportunities like the Coast Guard’s pre-commissioning program should be based on merit rather than the racial makeup of a student’s college.
The move is part of a larger Trump administration effort to roll back DEI policies across federal agencies and the military.
Administration officials have argued that federal hiring, admissions and promotion systems should not use race-based preferences or quotas.
Supporters of the change say military programs should be based on qualifications, performance and readiness.
Critics of the broader anti-DEI push argue that diversity programs help expand opportunity and ensure institutions reflect the country they serve.
The Coast Guard decision follows similar actions across the federal government and military education system.
Defense leaders have also criticized DEI policies at service academies and military institutions, arguing that combat readiness should be the central priority.
The change is likely to draw debate over how military recruitment and officer development programs should balance merit, opportunity and representation.
For the Trump administration, the decision marks another step in its campaign to remove race-conscious rules from federal programs.
Why It Matters
The decision signals that the Trump administration is continuing to reshape federal and military programs by targeting DEI policies it considers unconstitutional. It could also influence how other military commissioning and recruitment programs structure admissions rules going forward.
What Comes Next
The Coast Guard will move forward without the race-based school preference in the pre-commissioning program. Additional federal and military programs could face similar reviews as the administration continues its anti-DEI push.
