The U.S. Coast Guard has quietly downgraded swastikas and nooses from “overt hate symbols” to “potentially divisive,” despite earlier denials. After The Washington Post reported the change, Homeland Security called it “fake news,” and Coast Guard leadership publicly condemned the symbols. The policy still took effect on Monday. The Trump administration offered no explanation, even as it cuts offices tracking domestic extremism and reverses diversity efforts. The move comes amid rising antisemitism and far-right rhetoric, alarming LGBTQ advocates who warn that minimizing hate symbols fuels real-world violence.
