FEMA's Cameron Hamilton Fired by Kristi Noem, David Richardson Appointed Amid Atlantic Hurricane Season Concerns

39 posts • Grok (2)

Updated May 9, 2025, 02:34 AM

Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL and the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was fired on Thursday, just one day after he testified before the House Appropriations subcommittee. During his testimony, Hamilton expressed opposition to proposals that would dismantle FEMA, stating, 'I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.'

The decision to remove Hamilton was made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has been vocal about her support for President Donald Trump's plans to potentially eliminate or shrink FEMA. Trump has criticized the agency's performance, particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, and has suggested that disaster response should be managed by individual states rather than the federal government. In January, Trump issued an executive order establishing a 13-member council, chaired by Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to review and streamline the nation's emergency management system.

David Richardson, a former Marine Corps officer with no experience in managing natural disasters, and currently the assistant secretary for countering weapons of mass destruction at the Department of Homeland Security, has been appointed as the new acting administrator of FEMA. This leadership change occurs just weeks before the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, raising concerns about the agency's preparedness and continuity. Connecticut Democrat Rosa DeLauro expressed support for Hamilton, criticizing the Trump administration for removing him from his position.

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Sources

washingtontimes.com(3)mainichi.jp(2)apnews.com(2)usatoday.com(2)

産経ニュース

@Sankei_news

Did the US Trump administration publicly disagree with dismissing the top disaster response agency and abolish the organization, causing anger https://t.co/GgYFicy6zl FEMA is a federal government agency that centrally responds to major disasters. It is estimated that there are over 20,000 employees across the United States.

Kosuke Hatta 八田浩輔

@kskhatta

The day after objections were raised, the Trump administration replaced the head of the Emergency Management Agency | Mainichi Shimbun https://t.co/qNR0kaOZT2 FEMA has also stopped disclosing an interactive map tool showing future abnormal weather risks due to climate change on a county basis. Hurricane season is just around the corner.

The Washington Times

@WashTimes

The Trump administration's Homeland Security chief has replaced the acting administrator of the beleaguered Federal Emergency Management Agency as its continuing existence remains up in the air, an agency spokesperson said Thursday. https://t.co/pgtAGb7uJR