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In a dramatic FEMA leadership change, Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton was dismissed Thursday—just one day after he testified against proposals to eliminate the agency. The move, ordered by Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Troy Edgar and Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski, installs David Richardson, a career Marine and HHS official, as the new acting head.

Hamilton returned to FEMA headquarters, collected his belongings, and left. His biography vanished from FEMA’s website, and his official X account was archived. Neither FEMA nor DHS offered an explanation for the firing.

Testimony Sparks Controversy

At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing Wednesday, Hamilton directly contradicted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s comments about dismantling FEMA. “I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” he told lawmakers.

That bold stance drew praise—and swift reprisal. Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson accused the administration of ousting Hamilton “when he told the truth and refused to toe the line” on FEMA’s future.

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Turf Battles and Internal Probes

• In late March, Hamilton took a lie-detector test over alleged leaks about a private DHS meeting with Noem and Lewandowski. He was cleared.
• In April, he submitted a six-page memo proposing cuts to FEMA’s natural-disaster role—a plan that alarmed many state emergency managers.
• Former FEMA chief of staff Michael Coen warned the firing “erodes confidence” in the nation’s emergency readiness, especially as hurricane season looms.

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Richardson Steps In

David Richardson, now FEMA’s acting administrator, commands the DHS Countering WMD Office. A former Marine Corps artillery commander, he has no direct disaster-response background. Yet his quick confirmation underscores the White House’s urgency to install loyalists.

Chad Berginnis, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, stressed the need for experienced leadership. “There is a reason the law requires FEMA’s administrator to have state emergency-management credentials,” he said, noting the risk as spring floods and Atlantic storms approach.

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Political Ripples and Coverage

Breaking news alert highlighted the abrupt change. The network noted the timing—just before the 2025 hurricane season—and the lack of a permanent FEMA administrator since Trump took office. Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL, never received Senate confirmation because he lacked the required public-health credentials.

Senators from both parties voiced dismay. Washington’s Patty Murray warned that losing “indispensable staff” weeks before storms could “put lives in jeopardy.” North Carolina’s Thom Tillis lamented letting go “a good leader” fresh off leading disaster relief during last year’s Hurricane Helene.

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Looking Ahead

With David Richardson now at the helm, states and localities await clarity on FEMA’s mission and resources. As reports flood in with analysis, one question remains: can the agency maintain its crucial role guarded by statute, or will political winds reshape its future?

📢 Stay tuned to TNN for ongoing coverage of this FEMA chief firing, deep dives into disaster-response policy. And live updates on hurricane forecasts. We’ll keep you informed on Washington’s moves and the impact on communities nationwide. 🚨