FEMA Chief Cameron Hamilton Fired After Opposing Agency’s Dismantling

Topline The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s recently appointed acting administrator, Cameron Hamilton, was fired Thursday, according to multiple outlets, after opposing the Trump administration’s effort to disband the emergency response agency. Cameron Hamilton, a former republican candidate for Virginia’s 7th congressional district, speaks to ... More voters at Hartwood Elementary School in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on June 8, 2024. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades) Key Facts Hamilton was removed from the position by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to The Wall Street Journal. He will reportedly be replaced by David Richardson, who works in the Department of Homeland Security’s countering weapons of mass destruction Office. Hamilton, a Trump appointee, said during a House Appropriations Committee testimony Wednesday it was not “in the best interest of the American people to eliminate” FEMA, which has provided billions of dollars in aid to states damaged by natural disasters. Noem reiterated her and President Donald Trump’s stance on the emergency response agency Tuesday, telling the committee FEMA, “as it exists today, should be eliminated.” After praising the agency’s workforce, Hamilton admitted to some FEMA shortcomings in his testimony, saying it is “all too often used by states and public officials as a financial backstop for routine issues that frankly should be handled locally.” What To Watch For Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1. Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1. Seasonal hurricane forecasting from the University of Colorado predicts 17 named storms this year and nine hurricanes. There was a yearly average of 14 named storms and 7.2 hurricanes from 1991 to 2020, according to the university. Tangent A group of Democratic and Republican lawmakers in the House are drafting a bill to overhaul FEMA, according to Politico, which reported that under the bill, the agency could pay for major home repairs as part of disaster responses, as opposed to providing temporary fixes. The bill reportedly seeks to allow the agency to penalize states that do not attempt to mitigate disasters. Key Background Trump said shortly after taking office he planned to sign an executive order overhauling or abolishing FEMA. While the agency has not yet been fully axed, the president ordered the establishment of a council to conduct “a full-scale review” of FEMA. The president has insisted the agency has not done its “job the last four years” and that he would “rather see the states take care of their own problems” when responding to disasters. FEMA, which was established by former President Jimmy Carter in 1979, was allocated $1.8 billion by the Biden administration for response efforts to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which resulted in some 280 deaths. The agency’s response to Hurricane Helene was blasted by Trump, who falsely alleged money from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund was used to house migrants in the wake of the disaster. Further Reading Trump Suggests Abolishing FEMA In Latest Call To Overhaul Agency (Forbes) Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/05/08/fema-chief-fired-weeks-before-start-of-hurricane-season/