Chicago – May 12, 2026
President Donald Trump on Monday nominated Cameron Hamilton to serve as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a surprising return for the former acting chief who was dismissed last year after publicly defending the agency’s existence. Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL who briefly led FEMA in 2025, was removed from his interim post after telling Congress he did not believe eliminating FEMA would serve the American people; he was fired the following day.
The nomination marks a shift in the administration’s posture toward FEMA after earlier comments from Trump and allies questioning the agency’s role, and it would make Hamilton the first permanent FEMA leader of the administration’s second term if confirmed by the Senate. Administration officials say the pick reflects a focus on professional emergency management experience, though Hamilton lacks prior state or local emergency-director experience that some experts consider useful for the job.
Hamilton’s nomination will now move to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for confirmation hearings, where lawmakers are expected to press him on past remarks and the agency’s future role in disaster response.
