FEMA's Cameron Hamilton Fired, Replaced by David Richardson Amid Trump's Push to Dismantle Agency Before Hurricane Season

54 posts • Grok (2)

Updated May 9, 2025, 07:22 PM

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is undergoing a leadership change just weeks before the start of the Atlantic hurricane season. Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL and Trump supporter, was fired by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, a day after he testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee that he did not support the elimination of FEMA, contradicting President Donald Trump's stance on the agency. Hamilton was escorted out of FEMA headquarters following his dismissal. Hamilton, who had been in the role since January, was replaced by David Richardson, a senior official from the Department of Homeland Security. The dismissal comes at a critical time as the hurricane season is set to begin in three weeks, raising concerns about the agency's ability to respond effectively to potential disasters. President Trump has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with FEMA's performance, particularly following the response to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, which resulted in 250 deaths and $78.7 billion in damage. He has suggested that disaster response should be managed by individual states rather than a federal agency, a view supported by Secretary Noem. Trump signed a January executive order creating a 13-member council, chaired by Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to review and potentially reform FEMA. His budget proposes a $644 million cut to the agency.

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#Federal Emergency Management Agency #FEMA #Atlantic hurricane season #Cameron Hamilton #Trump #Homeland Security #Kristi Noem #House Appropriations #Donald Trump #Hamilton #David Richardson #Department of Homeland Security #Hurricane Helene #North Carolina #Noem #Pete Hegseth

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Sources

washingtontimes.com(5)politico.com(3)washingtonpost.com(2)washingtonexaminer.com(2)

Ryan Grim

@ryangrim

The acting head of FEMA sounds like he's melting down, per a FEMA source, telling staff things like "I am FEMA" and "everything goes through me" and he's "suspending all agency authority." He wants to shut down all payments. Things going well! He keeps telling people he led 11