Kristi Noem fired the acting director of the Federal Emergency Administration a day after opposing Donald Trump’s plan to eliminate FEMA.
Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL, has been in the job for the past few months, testified on Capitol Hill that he disagreed with the proposal to demolish an organization that helps plan natural disasters and allocate financial aid.
One day later, Noem fired him a few weeks before the start of the hurricane season, and Hamilton pushed away and was replaced by another DHS official.
Donald Trump believes that individual countries (rather than federal governments) should lead hurricanes, tornados and other crises. He is very critical of FEMA’s performance, especially North Carolina after Hurricane Helen.
The sudden change happened the day after Hamilton testified in Washington, and he objected.
“I don’t think it’s in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the federal emergency management agency,” Hamilton said.
David Richardson, a former Marine Corps officer who served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa, will temporarily operate FEMA.
He seems to have no experience in managing natural disasters.
Kristi Noem fired acting head of the Federal Emergency Administration a day after opposing Donald Trump’s plan to eliminate FEMA
Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL who has been in the job for the past few months, testified on Capitol Hill that he disagreed with the proposal to demolish organizations that helped plan natural disasters and distribute financial aid
Richardson currently serves as assistant secretary to the Department of Homeland Security to offset weapons of mass destruction.
The government has not made any statements on any potential permanent nominees.
The White House also did not answer questions about Richardson’s background, the impact of Hamilton’s testimony, or whether the president ordered the firing in person.
A government official who asked to discuss personnel matters anonymously said Hamilton got another government job that would be more suitable for him, but did not say what the job was.
FEMA employees informed of leadership changes through a brief email.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, through January’s executive order, Trump has formed a review council with a task of “reforming and simplifying the nation’s emergency management and disaster response system.”
The 13-member council was chaired by Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Before Hamilton’s appearance, he expressed concerns about how to manage FEMA aid in Wednesday’s House Appropriations Subcommittee.
One day later, Noem
David Richardson, a former Marine Corps officer who served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa, will temporarily operate FEMA
He also said the agency “has evolved into an over-expanding federal bureaucracy trying to manage every emergency, no matter how small.”
But when Rep. Rosa Delauro, Democrat of Connecticut, asked Hamilton about his feelings about the plan to eliminate FEMA, Hamilton said he did not think the agency should be eliminated.
Hamilton continued: “With that being said, I can’t make decisions about what should be made and influence the outcome. This is a dialogue between the President of the United States and this governing body.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Delauro expressed support for Hamilton and accused the Republican president of firing “anyone who is not blindly loyal to him.”
“The Trump administration must explain why he has been removed from this position,” DeLauro said. “Integrity and morality should not let you lose your job.”
Hamilton briefly caused controversy in the absence of a congressional campaign, when his mother, the best-selling author of adult novels, appeared to be on Noem’s naughty list early in his tenure.
He was one of the DHS staff forced by Noem to undergo a polygraph test and it seems to be working.
The Department of Homeland Security (operated by Noem, 53, has conducted about 50 testers, including at least 12 FEMA employees as they continue to try to eliminate leakers.
Agent FEMA Administrator Hamilton included him passing the exam CNN.
Last month, the department reportedly conducted a polygraph test on Hamilton to ensure he did not leak sensitive information from a meeting with a Trump adviser.
The directive came directly from Noem, who reportedly issued an internal memorandum ordering her department to have a special issue with future lie detectors on unauthorized discussions with journalists and private citizens.
Then in March, the Pentagon announced that it was also investigating information leaks that risked national security.
The department said the detectors of employees of the Department of Defense employees run by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of the investigation are not ruled out.
