Trump Fires Acting FEMA Director After Defiant Testimony to Congress

Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL turned federal official, was fired Thursday morning from his role as acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after publicly opposing the potential dismantling of the agency—a position that put him at odds with President Donald Trump.

Hamilton was summoned to the Department of Homeland Security and abruptly terminated just one day after testifying before a House Appropriations subcommittee that, in his view, eliminating FEMA would not serve the American people. His remarks ran counter to President Trump’s stated consideration earlier this year to scale back or dissolve the agency following its controversial and highly politicized behavior under the Biden administration.

“I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Hamilton told lawmakers Wednesday.

That statement may have sealed his fate.

Though neither FEMA nor DHS provided a public reason for Hamilton’s dismissal, his ousting closely followed months of internal tension. According to Politico, Hamilton had previously considered resigning, reportedly after being subjected to a lie detector test over leaked meeting details involving Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and senior Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski.

Despite that turmoil, sources told the outlet that Hamilton had begun to grow into his leadership role, gaining goodwill among lawmakers and FEMA personnel alike. Known for his personable and direct approach, Hamilton was seen by some as a rare government official genuinely trying to rebuild trust with disaster-stricken communities.

“Communities look to FEMA in their greatest times of need, and it’s imperative that we remain ready to respond to those challenges,” Hamilton said during his testimony.

But his efforts to rehabilitate FEMA’s image apparently ran afoul of Trump’s broader objective: rooting out partisan corruption and restoring competence to an agency many Americans—especially in red states—feel has abandoned them.

FEMA’s Tarnished Legacy Under Biden

Hamilton’s tenure followed a series of FEMA scandals under former President Joe Biden, during which the agency faced accusations of politically motivated disaster response—including allegedly instructing workers in Florida to skip homes with Trump signs while canvassing neighborhoods hit by Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

In North Carolina, residents displaced by Hurricane Helene said FEMA assistance was virtually nonexistent for months. President Trump visited the region in January shortly after returning to the White House and heard first-hand accounts of neglect that reportedly led to his decision to consider disbanding FEMA altogether.

“I think we’re going to recommend that FEMA go away,” Trump said at the time, according to the New York Times.

Praise and Backlash After Firing

While many conservatives praised the move as a continuation of Trump’s effort to dismantle the deep state, others—particularly those in North Carolina—expressed frustration over the decision to fire Hamilton, whom they viewed as a rare voice of accountability and reform.

“Trump Purge Of The Deep State Continues,” conservative host Alex Jones declared on X.

But not everyone agreed.

“I am incredibly disappointed by the Trump administration’s decision to fire Cameron Hamilton as head of FEMA,” wrote Matt Van Swol, a social media influencer instrumental in spotlighting FEMA’s failures in North Carolina. X link

“There is NO ONE in America that has been more critical of FEMA in the past 8 months than me. But firing Cameron Hamilton is not the answer.”

Van Swol described how Hamilton personally reached out to FEMA’s fiercest critics, gathered case numbers, and worked to resolve long-neglected claims.

“He didn’t JUST listen, he APOLOGIZED for the way FEMA had failed these individuals,” Van Swol wrote. “He did the HARD WORK of rectifying their situations.”

Erin Derham, another North Carolina resident, posted on X, “Western North Carolina wants Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA,” tagging Trump, Noem, and Vice President J.D. Vance and asking: “Who is responsible for this? Can this be reversed?”

As of Friday morning, no official comment had been issued by the White House regarding a permanent replacement for Hamilton or whether FEMA will ultimately be downsized, restructured, or eliminated.

One thing is clear: in President Trump’s America, federal agencies are being held to a higher standard—and the days of bloated bureaucracies running unchecked may finally be over.