US Coast Guard Eliminates Race-Based Enlistment Preferences

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times,

The U.S. Coast Guard has eliminated race-based preferential enlistment for college students who wish to join the service and commission as officers, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a May 29 statement.

“The program in question, the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI), includes a preference for students from educational institutions that meet certain quotas for specifically identified racial groups in their student bodies,” DHS said.

“Such requirements stand in stark contrast to the Trump Administration’s focus on fairness, merit, and eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies throughout the federal government. They are also in violation of the equal protection requirements of the U.S. Constitution.”

CSPI is a scholarship program aimed at college juniors and seniors. Students who join the program become active-duty Coast Guard members and are entitled to military benefits. The enrollees remain at the university until they complete their degrees.

During academic breaks, the students work with the Coast Guard. A mentor will be assigned to guide each student as they prepare to begin their career, according to the Coast Guard website.

To apply for CSPI, the student must be a sophomore or junior at a federally designated Minority Serving Institution, according to the website.

Such schools include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Asian American and Native American and Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Native American Non-Tribal Institutions, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions.

DHS said it has terminated such requirements as of May 28.

With the elimination of racial requirements, CSPI will function as a race-neutral program in which becoming commissioned officers in the Coast Guard will be determined by merit and achievement rather than “immutable characteristics,” the department said.

“The Trump Administration is more focused than ever on eliminating unconstitutional DEI policies like this one,” DHS general counsel James Percival said.

“By getting rid of these unconstitutional diversity quotas, we are returning the Coast Guard’s focus to military readiness, upholding the law, and making America a safer place.”

Crackdown on Military DEI

On Dec. 18 last year, President Donald Trump signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026, which authorized $901 billion in military and national security spending.

Sec. 901 of the bill prohibited DEI programs in the Department of War. The Secretary of War was banned from developing, implementing, or maintaining “an employee resource group or an affinity group based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”

The secretary was also prohibited from developing a training course related to diversity, equity, inclusion, intersectionality, and any critical theory related to race or gender.

Prior to the bill’s signing, the Modern Military Association of America had criticized the anti-DEI measures, calling them “harmful provisions,” according to a Dec. 10, 2025, statement from the association.

“The strength of the U.S. military lies not only in its size, but in its ability to draw on the talents, skills, and lived experiences of Americans from all backgrounds. A diverse force is more agile, innovative, and prepared to meet the complex challenges of modern warfare,” the association said.

“If enacted, they would jeopardize the health and well-being of service members, undermine recruitment and retention, and weaken overall military readiness.”

The Trump administration has steadily moved ahead with dismantling DEI policies and practices in the military despite opposition.

On Jan, 20, 2025, the first day in office of his second term, Trump issued the presidential action “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.”

On Jan.27, 2025, Trump signed another presidential action, stating that individuals expressing false “gender identity” cannot “satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.”

In a July 20, 2025, announcement on X, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that after Trump was sworn into office, the Defense Department moved on three key initiatives—reestablishing deterrence, rebuilding the military, and restoring warrior ethos. This includes reevaluating DEI practices in the military.

“The results so far? Distractions like DEI, [critical race theory], social justice, politically correct stuff—gone,” Hegseth said.

During a May 23 address at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, Hegseth doubled down on his criticism of DEI in the military. He called the slogan “our diversity is our strength” the “single dumbest phrase” in military history.

“Now, these sorts of silly things can be laughed at when they occur in a civilian lounge or civilian faculty lounge or debated in graduate seminars. But they cannot be tolerated in our formations. These ideas are what get people killed. Diversity is not our strength. Unity is our strength,” Hegseth said.