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applegrove

(130,248 posts)
Thu May 8, 2025, 02:36 PM May 2025

Leader of FEMA Is Dismissed as Trump Administration Takes Aim at the Agency

Leader of FEMA Is Dismissed as Trump Administration Takes Aim at the Agency

The ouster of Cameron Hamilton, less than a month before the start of the hurricane season, came a day after he told lawmakers that FEMA was vital to communities “in their greatest times of need” and should not be eliminated.

By Christopher Flavelle
Christopher Flavelle has covered FEMA for a decade.

May 8, 2025
Updated 3:10 p.m. ET

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/us/politics/fema-cameron-hamilton.html


Cameron Hamilton, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was pushed out of the job on Thursday, according to several people familiar with his departure. His ouster came a day after he told members of Congress that FEMA — which President Trump has suggested should be disbanded — was vital to communities “in their greatest times of need” and should not be eliminated.

The agency, which coordinates the federal response to natural disasters, confirmed in a statement that Mr. Hamilton was no longer serving as acting administrator. Many other senior leaders have been fired or decided to leave as the agency has faced an uncertain future.

On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose agency includes FEMA, testified before lawmakers that FEMA should be eliminated. Mr. Hamilton, appearing before Congress on Wednesday, said instead that FEMA “must return to its roots,” helping state and local governments respond to disasters.

“Communities look to FEMA in their greatest times of need,” Mr. Hamilton told lawmakers, “and it’s imperative that we remain ready to respond to those challenges.”
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sakabatou

(45,769 posts)
3. Red States: You know we can't handle natural disasters on our own
Thu May 8, 2025, 02:45 PM
May 2025

Dump: Too bad, so sad. Fuck you.

AZJonnie

(2,785 posts)
4. Like, how DARE he advocate for the agency he's in charge of running?!? The NERVE of that guy!
Thu May 8, 2025, 02:57 PM
May 2025

Hey, who remembers the magafolk (and IQ45 himself) freaking the fuck out that FEMA wasn't 'doing enough' after the hurricane in the Carolinas? Like, FEMA's help was SUPER CRITICAL back when Biden was in charge. Now they'll just be all 'fuck it, who needs FEMA' because IQ45 told them he wants to get rid of it (like the intellectually dishonest dipshits they are)

JBTaurus83

(873 posts)
5. If we have a bad hurricane season
Thu May 8, 2025, 03:13 PM
May 2025

and the federal government does not help the disaster zones, people will show up to congress and the white house with pitchforks...maybe literally. The GOP will own the entire horrible mess because they abdicated their responsibilities.

Timeflyer

(3,675 posts)
6. What if everyone who's home is uninhabitable after hurricane season caravans to Mar a Lardo and sets up camp in
Thu May 8, 2025, 03:17 PM
May 2025

as close to that huge-ass piece of property as possible. When you have nothing left to loose, why not.

LetMyPeopleVote

(174,948 posts)
7. Madow Blog-Why a Trump-appointed FEMA chief was unexpectedly ousted
Thu May 8, 2025, 06:01 PM
May 2025

One day after acting FEMA chief Cameron Hamilton defended the agency’s existence to Congress, he was kicked out of his job.

It's obviously an insanely busy day, but the firing of the Trump-appointed FEMA chief — a conservative Republican and military vet — is among the more outlandish things to happen in Trump World today. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-05-08T19:24:05.442Z

It's obviously an insanely busy day, but the firing of the Trump-appointed FEMA chief — a conservative Republican and military vet — is among the more outlandish things to happen in Trump World today.



https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/fema-chief-fired-cameron-hamilton-trump-rcna205676

In fact, when the president appointed him to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Hamilton actually seemed like one of Trump’s more qualified personnel choices, given his background as an emergency management specialist at the State Department during Trump’s first term and his work as the director of the Emergency Medical Services Division at the Department of Homeland Security.

And yet, Hamilton has been fired anyway. Politico reported:

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was fired Thursday morning, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation. Cameron Hamilton, FEMA’s acting administrator, has told people that he was terminated, leaving the nation’s disaster agency without a top official three weeks before the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and as Congress scrutinizes FEMA’s proposed budget for fiscal 2026.


A Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed Hamilton’s departure to NBC News.

The timing of the developments is striking: Just one day before his ouster, Hamilton testified before a House Appropriations Committee panel and defended FEMA’s existence, telling lawmakers, “I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.”.....

Oddly enough, the morning after the congressional hearing, Republican Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, wrote online that Hamilton’s leadership at FEMA has been “nothing short of amazing.” Green added, “Since taking the helm at FEMA, thousands of Americans have seen FEMA’s promises fulfilled, from housing to disaster relief. President Trump made the right choice!”

Right around the time the congressman published that message, Hamilton was kicked out of FEMA.

For what it’s worth, a DHS spokesperson told NBC News that Hamilton’s ouster was unrelated to his testimony. Or put another way, the official line is that the firing of the acting FEMA director just one day after he took a public position that Trump didn’t like is a coincidence.
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