Trump Nominates Cameron Hamilton for FEMA Head

President Donald Trump nominated Cameron Hamilton on Monday to serve as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, marking a return for the former Navy SEAL who briefly led the agency as a temporary head before his dismissal last year.

Hamilton's nomination follows his earlier defense of FEMA's role during his tenure from January to May 2025, when he argued that abolishing the agency would not serve the country's interests. The move signals a shift by the Trump administration away from earlier discussions about dismantling FEMA, which the president had criticized. If confirmed by the Senate, Hamilton would become the agency's first permanent leader during Trump's second term and serve as the principal adviser on emergency management to both Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

The nomination comes at a challenging time for FEMA, which has cycled through three temporary administrators since the start of the term. The agency has faced significant operational hurdles, including mass staff departures, policies that limited its activities and a 75-day Department of Homeland Security shutdown that concluded on April 30. These issues stemmed in part...