FEMA shakeup: Acting Chief ousted by Trump administration

just a day after breaking from the administration

Reports reaching Diaspora Digital Media, as of May 8, 2025, say that Cameron Hamilton, was dismissed just one day after publicly opposing efforts to dismantle the agency.

This is reportedly an initiative long supported by President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Hamilton was the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed Hamilton’s firing to CNN.

He noted that he was removed from FEMA headquarters on Thursday and replaced immediately by DHS official David Richardson.

While the spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, declined to provide a reason for Hamilton’s removal.

She stated that Noem has the authority to select personnel of her choosing.

Hamilton’s departure came shortly after he testified before the House Appropriations Committee.

In his testimony, he defended FEMA’s role and expressed disagreement with efforts to eliminate the agency.

During his testimony, Hamilton emphasized his position as the senior advisor to both the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security on emergency management.

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

However, he acknowledged that such a significant decision should be made by the President in consultation with Congress, not by an individual official like himself.

For several months, both Trump and Noem have publicly advocated for dismantling FEMA.

They argue that the agency has consistently failed to serve the American people and should be replaced by a model that places greater responsibility on individual states to manage disasters, with limited federal support.

Noem reiterated this position before the same House committee just a day before Hamilton’s testimony, saying,

“President Trump has been very clear since the beginning that he believes that FEMA and its response in many, many circumstances has failed the American people.”

In contrast, Hamilton praised FEMA’s workforce, describing it as “one of the greatest workforces in the entire federal government.”

He acknowledged the agency’s shortcomings, such as outdated systems and inefficient processes.

However, he insisted that FEMA’s core mission, responding to the most severe natural disasters, remains essential.

Hamilton advocated for streamlining operations and cutting unnecessary bureaucracy, while shifting the responsibility for managing less severe disasters to state governments.

According to Hamilton, FEMA is too often used by local governments as a fallback funding source for routine issues that should be handled at the local level.

He warned that this practice encourages a culture of dependency, inefficiency, and waste, while delaying critical aid to those facing genuine emergencies.

Nevertheless, he stressed that any reforms should be implemented gradually, not abruptly.

He further emphasized the need for a “phased approach” in which the federal government mentors states and municipalities to build their own disaster response capacities.

The Trump administration has consistently criticized FEMA as inefficient, politically biased, and ideologically driven.

It claimed it mismanages funds by supporting what it calls “woke” initiatives.

These criticisms have fueled internal discussions within DHS about the possibility of dissolving FEMA altogether.

According to previous CNN reports, the administration is also considering raising the threshold for federal disaster aid eligibility.

This is reportedly a change that would significantly reduce the number of federally declared disasters.

Tensions between Hamilton and senior administration officials had been building in recent weeks.

CNN reported that Hamilton was subjected to a lie detector test shortly after attending a confidential policy meeting.

Top DHS officials were reportedly at the meeting to discuss the potential dismantling of FEMA.

That closed-door meeting became public through media coverage, prompting DHS to launch internal investigations into leaks.

At least a dozen FEMA employees have reportedly been polygraphed in connection with these investigations.

Hamilton’s ousting supposedly signals a deepening divide within the administration over the future of FEMA.

This also supposedly reflects the growing influence of Trump and Noem’s hardline stance on federal disaster management.

His removal, according to analysts. underscores the risks faced by officials who challenge the administration’s agenda, even when offering measured, reform-minded alternatives to outright elimination of federal programs.

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