- President Trump selected Cameron Hamilton as the next FEMA administrator
- Hamilton assumed leadership of FEMA in January 2025 but was removed from the position months later
- A Trump-appointed council recently proposed FEMA reforms shifting disaster response responsibility to states and territories
President Donald Trump has nominated Cameron Hamilton as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The nomination, announced by the White House Monday, comes a year after Hamilton was dismissed as the temporary head of the disaster relief agency.
If confirmed by the Senate, the former Navy SEAL will be the first permanent FEMA leader under the second Trump administration. He will also serve as principal adviser to the president and Markwayne Mullin, secretary of homeland security, on all matters related to emergency management.
Learn to navigate changes at FEMA and the broader Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12. Top officials from the DHS and its components will grace the event to discuss evolving mission needs. Sign up today to secure your seat.
Why Was Cameron Hamilton Fired as Acting Administrator?
Hamilton assumed the responsibilities of acting FEMA administrator in January 2025. He was fired four months later after telling lawmakers during a House appropriations subcommittee hearing that abolishing FEMA would not be “in the best interests of the American people,” a contradiction to the administration’s position at the time that the agency should be dismantled, Federal News Network reported.
Who Is Cameron Hamilton?
Prior to his short stint at FEMA, Hamilton led as director of business strategy at Professional Solutions Delivered, according to his LinkedIn.
He also held the roles of director of emergency medical services at DHS and a supervisory emergency management specialist at the Department of State, where he supported overseas crisis response efforts, earlier in his career.
Hamilton previously served as a Navy SEAL operator with SEAL Team Eight for over a decade.
Proposed FEMA Reforms
A Trump-appointed FEMA Review Council recently approved a report proposing changes that would shift greater responsibility for disaster preparedness, response and recovery to states, tribes and territories, AP News reported.
Among the recommendations are revisions to how disasters qualify for federal support, replacing the current population-based formula with predefined metrics to determine eligibility for assistance. The council also proposed direct payments within 30 days of a disaster instead of the current process of reimbursing states.
Mullin said the recommendations provide direction for reforming an agency that remains “mission capable.”
