The U.S. Coast Guard has come under scrutiny following a report by The Washington Post regarding its new workplace harassment policy. This policy categorizes swastikas as 'potentially divisive' symbols, a classification that has raised concerns among various advocacy groups and lawmakers. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin defended the policy, stating that it strengthens the Coast Guard's ability to address harassment and hate incidents.

The policy was implemented amid a backdrop of increasing antisemitism in the United States, highlighted by a report from the FBI indicating a rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes. Critics, including Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, have condemned the classification of swastikas as merely divisive, arguing that such symbols represent a history of violence and hate.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democratic senators have expressed their disapproval of the policy, labeling it as a dangerous normalization of hate symbols. Senator Ruben Gallego emphasized that swastikas should be recognized unequivocally as symbols of hate, not as potentially divisive symbols.

The policy, which went into effect on December 15, has prompted Democratic Senators Tammy Duckworth and Jacky Rosen to place a hold on Admiral Kevin Lunday's nomination to become the commandant of the Coast Guard. The controversy surrounding this policy reflects broader societal concerns regarding the rise of hate and extremism, particularly in the context of military and governmental institutions.