Top FEMA Official Fired After Rejecting Trump Plan to Empower States

On Thursday, acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton was fired, just one day after he publicly opposed the Trump administration’s plan to dismantle FEMA and return emergency authority to the states. Hamilton’s exit signals a major shift in how the federal government will handle disaster response under a second Trump term and it’s long overdue.

During his testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Hamilton declared:

• “I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.”

That’s all it took.

By Friday morning, Hamilton had been replaced by David Richardson, a senior official at DHS known for his no-nonsense leadership at the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office.

Trump isn’t playing games. He’s making it clear that if you’re not on board with returning power to the states, you don’t belong in his administration.

Let’s be honest: FEMA’s track record is an embarrassment.

• FEMA was exposed for allegedly skipping homes of Trump supporters in Florida a politically motivated outrage that should have ended careers.

• During Hurricane Helene, the agency was sluggish and disorganized, leaving thousands waiting for help that never came.

• FEMA has become a bloated bureaucracy that reacts too slowly, spends too much, and answers to no one.

And President Trump is done pretending it’s working.

• “We’re looking at possibly getting rid of FEMA altogether,” Trump said in January. “States know their people, know their land, and can respond faster. The federal government will still provide support and funding but it’s time for real accountability.”

Trump’s FEMA Review Council is now in motion, aiming to strip away the D.C. red tape and empower state emergency managers to lead with federal backing, not federal interference. That means governors *not unelected bureaucrats* will coordinate disaster relief, making the process faster, more efficient, and more responsive to local needs.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem summed it up best:

• “FEMA, as it exists today, has failed the American people.”

Hamilton’s firing isn’t punishment it’s progress. The Trump team is replacing ineffective figureheads with people who share the vision of a leaner, faster, state-first emergency response model.

Americans don’t want platitudes and press conferences while their towns are underwater. They want results. And the only way to get those results is to cut out the bureaucracy and give power back to the states.

Hamilton wanted to protect the status quo. Trump wants to protect the American people.

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