Trump to Nominate Ex-FEMA Acting Head Hamilton as Administrator

President Donald Trump intends to nominate Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL fired from his acting role at the Federal Emergency Management Agency last year, to serve as the agency's permanent administrator, according to people familiar with the decision.

Hamilton served as FEMA's acting leader from January to May 2025, a period marked by internal tensions over the administration's push to dismantle the agency and transfer disaster response duties to states. Appointed at the start of Trump's second term, Hamilton quickly clashed with then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski, a Trump ally advising the department. Sources familiar with the situation said Lewandowski viewed Hamilton as insufficiently aggressive in implementing changes, while Hamilton argued that FEMA required reforms but should not be eliminated, as that would not serve the public interest.

The conflicts peaked in May 2025, when Hamilton testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee just hours after learning of his impending dismissal. Despite the looming termination, he publicly diverged from the administration's position. "As the senior advisor to the president on disasters and...