In a significant leadership shake-up at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Cameron Hamilton has been dismissed from his role as acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The move came just a day after he delivered critical testimony before Congress that clashed with Trump-aligned plans to restructure — or potentially dismantle — FEMA.
Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL known for his no-nonsense leadership, was removed after a contentious House Appropriations subcommittee hearing where he opposed proposals to shift FEMA’s duties to individual states. His remarks directly challenged recent statements by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and former President Donald Trump, both of whom have expressed doubts about FEMA’s effectiveness.
“I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Hamilton stated during the hearing.
According to Politico, Hamilton was called into DHS headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he was dismissed by Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar and Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski. Sources indicate Hamilton had previously considered stepping down due to mounting internal tensions but chose to stay after FEMA staff urged him to remain during the ongoing political transition.
Following his ouster, FEMA confirmed that David Richardson — formerly the Assistant Secretary of the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office — will serve as the acting administrator.
Hamilton’s firing comes amid broader turmoil at FEMA. Earlier this week, four agency employees were terminated over an alleged misuse of federal funds. DHS officials say the employees authorized unauthorized payments to place undocumented migrants in luxury hotels in New York City — a story that gained traction after Elon Musk posted about it on X (formerly Twitter), alleging that $59 million had been improperly allocated.
“That money is meant for American disaster relief,” Musk wrote, “not luxury hotels for illegals.” DHS later confirmed it is working to recover the misused funds.
Meanwhile, Trump has intensified his critique of FEMA. During a recent visit to North Carolina — still recovering from last year’s Hurricane Helene — he floated the idea of abolishing the agency altogether, citing what he called years of “underperformance.”
“I’ll be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming, or maybe even eliminating, FEMA,” Trump said. “Frankly, I don’t think FEMA is doing a good job.”
Trump argued that disaster management should be returned to the states, asserting they are better equipped to handle emergencies efficiently and cost-effectively.
“Let the states take care of their tornadoes, hurricanes, and other disasters. They’ll do it faster and at less than half the cost,” he told reporters.
Still, the former president promised swift federal support for storm-hit communities, particularly in North Carolina. “We’re going to fix it, and we’re going to fix it fast,” he declared. “FEMA let the country down, but we’ll step in and do what’s necessary.”
Hamilton’s abrupt removal adds fuel to the growing debate over the federal government’s role in disaster response. With FEMA’s future in question, lawmakers and emergency experts remain divided over whether centralized coordination or state-level autonomy offers the best path forward.
