in World News Trump’s Acting FEMA Chief Cameron Hamilton Escorted Out of HQ One Day After ‘Defying’ Plan to Abolish the Agency During Congressional Hearing
Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton was abruptly removed from his post Thursday, just one day after publicly opposing the administration’s push to abolish the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Hamilton, a proud Trump supporter and former Navy SEAL who led FEMA since January, was reportedly escorted out of the agency’s headquarters after clashing with Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem’s vision to dismantle FEMA, according to sources cited by CNN.
An internal email reviewed by The Washington Post revealed that David Richardson, a Marine Corps veteran and assistant secretary for DHS’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, has been appointed to assume the duties of FEMA Administrator, effective immediately.
FEMA’s press office confirmed the move to POLITICO’s E&E News, stating plainly, “Cameron Hamilton is no longer serving in this capacity.”
The reason for his removal remains unclear, but it comes just one day after Hamilton testified before the House Appropriations Committee, where he firmly opposed eliminating FEMA — a stance that directly contradicts the position of President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, both of whom have been pushing to return disaster preparedness and response to state and local control.
“As the senior adviser to the president on disasters and emergency management and to the secretary of homeland security, I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Hamilton said under questioning from Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). “Having said that, I am not in a position to make decisions and impact outcomes.”
Watch Hamilton’s full opening statement, where he discussed restoring accountability at FEMA: