President Donald Trump has formally nominated Cameron Hamilton to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to a White House statement that said the nomination has been sent to the U.S. Senate.
Hamilton previously served as FEMA's acting director but was removed from that role last year after he appeared to diverge publicly from President Trump and former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over the agency's direction. The administration has now opted to put his name forward again for the permanent leadership post, restarting a process that requires Senate consideration.
The move follows wider personnel changes at DHS. President Trump dismissed Kristi Noem in early March and appointed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin as her replacement. The reshuffle is occurring against a backdrop of staffing reductions at FEMA that have taken place since Trump assumed office in January 2025.
Observers have raised concerns that the shrinking or reorganization of FEMA could heighten risks for state and local governments facing natural disasters, as reduced federal capacity may leave those jurisdictions with fewer resources and support. The White House announcement did not include additional details about Hamilton's policy agenda or specific plans for reversing or continuing the staffing cuts.
Reporting last year indicated that some allies of President Trump sought Hamilton's removal because they perceived him as not moving quickly enough to reduce the agency's size and scope. Hamilton is a former Navy SEAL; that background was noted in coverage at the time.
Noem's tenure as DHS chief drew criticism from human rights and emergency response advocates over the immigration enforcement approach overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - an agency within DHS - as well as for the cuts to FEMA. Relatedly, the administration announced that Todd Lyons, the acting head of ICE, will leave the agency at the end of May.
In another personnel development connected to the agency's internal dynamics, FEMA last month reinstated more than a dozen employees who had been placed on leave in August after signing a public letter dissenting from the agency's leadership and policies. The reinstatements came after months of the employees being off duty following their public critique.
The nomination of a previously removed acting director and the recent personnel shifts at DHS underscore ongoing debate within the administration and among its allies about the future structure and role of FEMA and related homeland security functions. The Senate will now consider Hamilton's nomination as part of the confirmation process.