FEMA Boss Fired Over Bombshell Congressional Comments
FEMA Acting Chief Fired After Contradicting Trump-Era Plans in Congressional Testimony
Cameron Hamilton, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was dismissed just one day after testifying before Congress, during which he defended the agency’s continued existence and criticized some Trump-era disaster policies.
Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL, was called to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) headquarters in Washington, D.C., where Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar and senior Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski delivered the dismissal, according to Politico.
During his testimony to a House Appropriations subcommittee, Hamilton pushed back on comments made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump, who have floated the idea of dismantling FEMA and shifting disaster response responsibilities to states. “I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Hamilton said.
FEMA confirmed his firing shortly afterward, naming David Richardson, a DHS assistant secretary, as his interim replacement.
Hamilton reportedly considered resigning earlier this year as the new administration took shape but stayed at the request of FEMA staff.
His firing comes amid broader upheaval at FEMA. Shortly after Trump took office, four FEMA officials were fired over unauthorized payments used to house migrants in luxury hotels in New York City—payments criticized as wasteful by both DHS and figures like Elon Musk, who claimed $59 million had been misallocated.
President Trump, during a recent visit to North Carolina to assess hurricane recovery efforts, doubled down on his critique of FEMA, saying, “I think, frankly, FEMA is not good,” and hinted at eliminating or overhauling the agency entirely via executive order.
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