Trump Nominates Fired FEMA Defender Cameron Hamilton to Lead Agency/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump nominated former acting FEMA leader Cameron Hamilton to permanently head the disaster-response agency. Hamilton was previously fired after publicly defending FEMA against calls for its elimination. The nomination signals the Trump administration may be backing away from earlier efforts to dismantle the agency.

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Cameron Hamilton FEMA Nomination Quick Looks

• Trump nominated Cameron Hamilton to permanently lead FEMA
• Hamilton was fired in 2025 after defending FEMA publicly
• FEMA has cycled through three temporary leaders during Trump’s second term
• The agency faces staffing shortages and operational challenges
• Hamilton previously supported major reforms inside FEMA
• Critics question his emergency management experience
• FEMA faces pressure ahead of summer disaster season
• The nomination suggests Trump may no longer seek to abolish FEMA

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Deep Look

Trump Selects Cameron Hamilton to Lead FEMA

President Donald Trump has nominated former acting FEMA chief Cameron Hamilton to permanently lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency, marking a dramatic political comeback for the former Navy SEAL who was previously dismissed after defending the agency’s existence.

The nomination announced Monday signals a notable shift within the Trump administration, which had previously floated proposals to dismantle FEMA entirely.

If confirmed by the Senate, Hamilton would become FEMA’s first permanent administrator during Trump’s second term and would serve as the principal adviser to both Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on disaster management and emergency response.

FEMA Leadership Has Been Turbulent

FEMA has experienced major instability since Trump returned to office.

The agency has cycled through three temporary leaders, including Hamilton, who briefly led FEMA from January to May 2025 before being removed.

The agency also continues recovering from operational disruptions tied to mass employee departures, internal policy disputes, and a lengthy Department of Homeland Security shutdown that lasted 75 days before ending on April 30.

Hamilton would inherit an agency struggling to prepare for the upcoming summer disaster season while also responding to demands for sweeping structural reforms.

“Now is the opportunity to stabilize FEMA,” said Michael Coen, who served as FEMA chief of staff during the Obama and Biden administrations.

Hamilton Was Fired After Defending FEMA

Hamilton’s removal last year became a flashpoint inside the administration after he publicly opposed efforts to abolish FEMA.

Trump had repeatedly criticized the agency and suggested eliminating or dramatically shrinking its federal role.

Hamilton initially entered the job as a controversial appointee because he had publicly criticized FEMA before joining the agency and lacked traditional state or local emergency management leadership experience.

However, tensions escalated once he began defending FEMA’s national role in disaster response.

“Once the conversation shifted to, ‘Now we’re going to abolish,’ I immediately expressed concern,” Hamilton said during a September interview on the “Disaster Tough” podcast.

The conflict intensified after Hamilton testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee in May 2025.

When asked directly by Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro whether FEMA should be abolished, Hamilton answered:

“I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.”

He was fired the following day.

Nomination Suggests Shift in Trump’s FEMA Position

Hamilton’s nomination is widely being viewed as evidence that the White House is reconsidering earlier efforts to dismantle FEMA.

The administration recently signaled greater support for maintaining a federal disaster-response structure, even while still calling for major reforms.

A Trump-appointed review council last week recommended broad changes to FEMA’s structure and operations, proposals that would likely require congressional approval.

Hamilton himself has repeatedly argued that FEMA needs modernization rather than elimination.

He has criticized what he views as bureaucratic inefficiency and overexpansion of the agency’s responsibilities while also warning that some states have become overly dependent on federal disaster aid.

Supporters Praise Hamilton’s Loyalty to FEMA

Some emergency management professionals praised Hamilton for publicly defending FEMA despite knowing it could jeopardize his career.

John Scardena, a former FEMA incident management leader and current emergency-management consultant, said Hamilton earned respect across the disaster-response community after opposing abolition plans.

“He won myself over and I think a lot of people by what he did,” Scardena said.

Former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell also suggested Hamilton genuinely cares about improving the agency.

Still, she warned that rebuilding internal trust will remain a major challenge.

“I think he’s going to need to rebuild trust across the agency,” Criswell said.

Critics Raise Concerns About His Record

Despite the support from some emergency-management officials, Hamilton’s record remains controversial among FEMA employees and critics.

Several current agency workers told The Associated Press they remain concerned about policies implemented during his temporary leadership.

Hamilton previously shared social media posts promoting misinformation about FEMA spending following Hurricane Helene in 2024.

Under his leadership, FEMA also stopped conducting door-to-door outreach to disaster survivors and canceled a multibillion-dollar resilience grant program that was later restored through a federal court order.

The Department of Government Efficiency also gained access to FEMA systems containing sensitive survivor information during Hamilton’s tenure.

In addition, FEMA employees were fired after approving reimbursement payments to New York City tied to housing undocumented migrants through FEMA’s Shelter and Services program.

Senate Confirmation Could Be Difficult

Hamilton may also face scrutiny during Senate confirmation hearings because of his limited traditional emergency-management experience.

Federal law requires FEMA administrators to possess extensive knowledge of emergency management and at least five years of executive leadership experience.

Hamilton served as a Navy hospital corpsman before spending a decade as a Navy SEAL assigned to SEAL Team Eight.

He later worked as a State Department emergency management specialist focused on overseas crisis response before directing emergency medical services within the Department of Homeland Security.

Critics may argue that background does not fully prepare him to oversee an agency with more than 21,000 employees and responsibility for responding to hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and national disasters across the country.

FEMA Faces Critical Months Ahead

The nomination comes as FEMA prepares for another potentially intense disaster season.

Forecasters are already warning about heightened hurricane risks while the agency continues managing staffing shortages and internal uncertainty.

Hamilton’s supporters believe his military background and willingness to challenge bureaucracy could help streamline FEMA operations.

Opponents worry the agency could continue facing instability and politicization under his leadership.

The upcoming Senate confirmation battle is expected to further spotlight the broader national debate over FEMA’s future role, federal disaster response, and the balance between state and federal emergency management responsibilities.

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