WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Coast Guard will stop labeling swastikas, nooses, and Confederate flags as hate symbols under a revised civil rights policy set to take effect next month. The update shifts the terminology from “hate incidents” to “potentially divisive” imagery, giving commanders more discretion over when and how disciplinary action should be taken.
A comparison of the 2023 and 2025 Coast Guard civil rights manuals reviewed by Newsweek shows that explicit examples of hate symbols have been removed. The prior version listed swastikas, nooses, and Confederate flags as clear indicators of a hate-related incident. The new policy drops those definitions entirely, instead treating such items as context-dependent and subject to interpretation.
The change reflects wider Trump administration efforts to loosen hazing and harassment standards across military branches. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has argued the previous guidelines were overly expansive and restricted service members unfairly.
The Coast Guard has not yet publicly commented on the update. Newsweek reported it reached out to both the Coast Guard and the Pentagon for clarification on how enforcement will work moving forward.
The revised policy is expected to generate debate among service members and civil rights advocates as the military adjusts to loosened rules around offensive or extremist symbols.
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