Acting FEMA Administrator Dismissed After He Defends Agency at Congressional Hearing

Cam Hamilton, the senior official performing the duties of FEMA Administrator, was dismissed from his position May 8. His firing comes roughly 24 hours after he testified to the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee that he personally did not “believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” The Department of Homeland Security confirmed his removal but declined to give a reason for the decision, saying only that, “it’s at the discretion of [Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem] to have the personnel she prefers.” 

The move comes on the heels of statements that the Administration plans to fully eliminate the agency by the fall of this year. In the same congressional hearing, Secretary Noem stated that, “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 and that FEMA, as it exists today, should be eliminated in empowering states to respond to disasters with federal government support.” Late last month, a review council created by President Trump via an Executive Order (EO) to examine reforms for the agency finally received appointments, including several governors and state-level emergency management chiefs. 

The new Acting Director at FEMA, David Richardson, is a senior Department of Homeland Security official and a former Marine artillery officer and combat veteran. In an address to employees given on May 9, Richardson forcibly told staff that all decisions involving the agency would go through him. "I, and I alone in FEMA, speak for FEMA. I'm here to carry out the president's intent for FEMA," Richardson, who was most recently assistant secretary for DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, told staff. Amid heavy references to his military experience, Richardson said in his experience carrying out reforms, roughly 20% of an organization will resist. "Obfuscation, delay, undermining. If you're one of those 20% of people and you think those tactics and techniques are going to help you, they will not, because I will run right over you," Richardson said. "Don't get in my way ... I know all the tricks."

The address was heard by a dwindling number of FEMA staffers, with 2,000 employees recently taking incentives to leave or being terminated in the last 100 days. Currently, 15 requests for federal disaster declarations from states impacted by disasters remain unprocessed in the last several months. The potentially destructive 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season is now less than a month away.