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2w ago

FEMA Acting Administrator Fired After Opposing Agency Elimination

Cameron Hamilton was dismissed one day after testifying to Congress against dismantling FEMA, with weeks left before hurricane season begins.

Cameron Hamilton acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency testifies before the House Committee on Appropriations dubcommittee on Homeland Security oversight hearing of FEMA on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
FILE - A neighborhood still flooded from Hurricane Milton prepares to have the FEMA Disaster Recover Center covert to a polling location for the general election on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Ridge Manor, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson, File)
Rescue personnel walk in front of a FEMA truck in Surfside, near Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. June 30, 2021. REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo
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Overview

  • Cameron Hamilton, the acting FEMA administrator, was removed from his role by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem following his congressional testimony opposing FEMA's elimination.
  • Hamilton's dismissal comes as President Trump and DHS push for FEMA's restructuring or abolition, advocating for states to take over disaster response responsibilities.
  • David Richardson, a DHS official with no disaster management experience, has been appointed to lead FEMA in an acting capacity during this critical transition period.
  • The leadership change occurs just weeks before the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, raising concerns about FEMA's readiness and capacity to respond to large-scale disasters.
  • Critics warn that dismantling FEMA could leave vulnerable states underprepared, exacerbate disaster response inequities, and jeopardize national resilience amid increasing climate-driven emergencies.