Leader of FEMA Is Dismissed as Trump Administration Takes Aim at the Agency

Cameron Hamilton, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was pushed out of the job on Thursday, according to several people familiar with his departure. His ouster came a day after he told members of Congress that FEMA — which President Trump has suggested should be disbanded — was vital to communities “in their greatest times of need” and should not be eliminated.

The agency, which coordinates the federal response to natural disasters, confirmed in a statement that Mr. Hamilton was no longer serving as acting administrator. Many other senior leaders have been fired or decided to leave as the agency has faced an uncertain future.

On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose agency includes FEMA, testified before lawmakers that FEMA should be eliminated. Mr. Hamilton, appearing before Congress on Wednesday, said instead that FEMA “must return to its roots,” helping state and local governments respond to disasters.

“Communities look to FEMA in their greatest times of need,” Mr. Hamilton told lawmakers, “and it’s imperative that we remain ready to respond to those challenges.”

Mr. Hamilton added, “I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” Even so, he said, that was “a conversation that should be had between the president of the United States and this governing body.”

The debate over whether FEMA should survive dates back to the early days of the administration, when Mr. Trump visited North Carolina last fall, after parts of the state were devastated by Hurricane Helene last fall. Mr. Trump said that FEMA had failed to do enough to help hurricane survivors.

“I think we’re going to recommend that FEMA go away,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump’s frustrations with FEMA echoed longstanding concerns among the agency’s own leaders, who felt that it was increasingly being asked to do too much with too few resources. For example, FEMA had been asked to work on the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as assisting with migrants in the first Trump administration.

And the frequency and severity of hurricanes, wildfires and other calamities has increased as human-caused climate change causes average temperatures to rise.

FEMA said Mr. Hamilton had been replaced as acting administrator by David Richardson, the assistant secretary at the Homeland Security Department’s office for countering weapons of mass destruction.

Mr. Richardson will face a difficult job. As of Thursday morning, FEMA had about half as many staff members trained to respond to disasters as it did at this point last year, according to agency documents. That follows months of downsizing at FEMA, with many workers accepting early resignation offers or being terminated.

Atlantic hurricane season starts in three weeks.

Michael Gold contributed reporting.