May 8 (UPI) — Federal Emergency Management Agency acting administrator Cameron Hamilton was fired one day after telling members of Congress he did not think it would be in the public’s best interest to eliminate FEMA.
A FEMA spokesperson confirmed Hamilton’s firing on Thursday, The Hill reported.
Hamilton testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee Committee on Homeland Security on Wednesday.
Ranking member Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., expressed her concern that President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem might be considering eliminating FEMA.
“Eliminating FEMA would cause catastrophic and needless suffering to the American public,” Underwood said during the hearing.
“Pushing disaster response and recovery fully back to the states is dangerous and unrealistic,” she added.
Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, later mentioned Trump’s statement about FEMA while touring storm-impacted areas in North Carolina while campaigning in 2024.
Trump suggested FEMA was not doing its job.
The president in January made a similar comment after touring wildfire disaster areas in California and said his administration is considering getting rid of FEMA.
“We do not on Maui believe that FEMA should go away,” Case said while referencing the August 2023 Maui wildfire that killed more than 100 and caused $5.5 billion in damages.
“FEMA helped us to save the day after a devastating disaster,” Case said.
Hamilton told committee members FEMA needs to be reformed and modernized to make it more effective at addressing natural disasters and other emergencies.
Rep. Rose DeLauro, D-Conn., afterward asked Hamilton if the Trump administration intends to eliminate FEMA and quoted Noem saying FEMA “has failed the American people” and “as it exists today should be eliminated.”
“I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Hamilton responded.
He said he is not in a position to make such a determination and that is a conversation that should be had between Trump and members of Congress.
Delauro agreed with Hamilton, but his answer might have resulted in his firing less than 24 hours later.
Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Troy Edger and President Donald Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski informed Hamilton he had been fired on Thursday morning, Politico reported.
A driver took Hamilton back to FEMA headquarters, where he collected his belongings and left.
A replacement for Hamilton already is in place.
David Richardson now is FEMA’s acting administrator and most recently was the assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office.
