The Coast Guard said it is investigating after a hand-drawn swastika was discovered last week at a training center in New Jersey, The Washington Post reported.

A Coast Guard instructor first saw the swastika Thursday evening on a men's room wall at its training center in Cape May, two people told the Post.

The internal investigation spurred a swift response from the Coast Guard's top admiral, who faced significant scrutiny late last year after the service temporarily downgraded the hate symbol in its workplace harassment manual to "potentially divisive."

Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard commandant, promptly flew from Washington to Cape May and addressed the 900 recruits and staff members at the training center, the Post said.

"Anyone who adheres to or advances hate or extremist ideology — get out. Leave. You don't belong in the United States Coast Guard and we reject you," Lunday said in a statement. "We will not allow anyone to put a stain of hate on our United States Coast Guard."

The Coast Guard said in a statement that it has always condemned and punished displays of hate symbols or imagery associated with intimidation, hatred, or oppression.

"Such conduct is incompatible with our core values and has absolutely no place within our Service," the Coast Guard said.

"We are committed to maintaining a workplace that is safe, professional and respectful for every member of our workforce," the Coast Guard added. "Any behavior that undermines these standards will be addressed swiftly and seriously."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose agency oversees the Coast Guard, said on social media that the latest changes were made so no one can "misrepresent" the branch's position.

"The pages of superseded and outdated policy will be completely removed from the record so no press outlet, entity or elected official may misrepresent the Coast Guard to politicize their policies and lie about their position on divisive and hate symbols," Noem said.

The Coast Guard's planned policy change calling hate symbols "potentially divisive" emerged publicly in November. It stopped short of banning them, instead saying that commanders could take steps to remove them from public view and that the rule did not apply to private spaces, such as family housing.

The Department of Homeland Security has said there "was never a 'downgrade'" in policy language.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

• Coast Guard Scraps Entry Minimizing Swastikas, Nooses