WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate confirmed Cameron Hamilton as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday, August 7, 2026. The vote was part of a broader package in which the Senate approved a group of 74 nominations, including those for David Cummins and Daniel Perez.

Hamilton's confirmation follows a period in which he served as temporary leader of FEMA in January 2025 before being fired from that role after publicly opposing its elimination. Hamilton told a House panel in May 2025, "I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency." He was fired from his temporary FEMA role one day after testifying before the House panel.

Before his initial FEMA appointment, Hamilton was director of business strategy for a defense contractor in Virginia. He is also a former Navy SEAL. His path to permanent confirmation included a Senate committee appearance earlier this year. Hamilton testified before a Senate committee in June 2026 regarding his vision for the agency.

During that June hearing, Hamilton outlined his approach to federal disaster funding. "We would need to strike a new balance to encourage cost reasonableness and cost savings," Hamilton said. This focus aligns with recommendations from a Trump-appointed FEMA Review Council, which recommended major changes to federal disaster support in May 2026.

Pete Gaynor, a former FEMA administrator, issued a statement supporting Hamilton’s confirmation. "It tells you exactly who he is and how he will lead when the pressure is highest and the easy answer is the wrong one," Gaynor said. Gaynor also commented on Hamilton's operational goals. "I think his biggest priority in general is making the whole recovery system simpler for disaster survivors, for states and locals to navigate, to make it less of mystery, and cut out red tape," Gaynor said.

The National Emergency Management Association stated it welcomes Hamilton as the FEMA administrator. FEMA has more than 20,000 employees and is currently managing more than 1,000 open disaster declarations.

More than 4,300 employees separated from FEMA in the 2025 budget year, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Of those departures, more than 1,500 FEMA separations in the 2025 budget year were through voluntary reductions, according to the same report.

Hamilton will serve under Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Mullin is a former Oklahoma Senator who replaced Kristi Noem as Department of Homeland Security secretary in March 2026.

Mullin rescinded a rule requiring Department of Homeland Security secretary approval for expenses greater than $100,000. At a meeting of governors, Mullin outlined his philosophy on federal-state dynamics. "The biggest reform you’re going to see is more responsibility is going to go back to your states," Mullin said.

Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration over new election security requirements in FEMA counterterrorism grants. A July analysis by President Trump approved 80% of disaster requests from Republican governors and about 60% from Democratic governors.

During his temporary tenure at FEMA, Hamilton canceled a multibillion-dollar resilience grant program. This action preceded his current confirmation and remains part of his administrative record.

The Senate also confirmed David Cummins as head of the Transportation Security Administration. Cummins is a former senior vice president at Serco, a company that runs air traffic control towers at 60 American airports. About 1,100 TSA officers quit following a partial government shutdown earlier in 2026.

Daniel Perez was confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Brazil. Perez is a former speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives and a close friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The State Department revoked the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States, citing the Brazilian government’s refusal to accept Perez’s appointment. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is the President of Brazil.

Why It Matters

Hamilton's confirmation places a former temporary leader, who was previously fired for opposing the agency's elimination, in charge of an organization managing over 1,000 open disaster declarations. His stated focus on cost savings and simplified recovery systems aligns with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin's push to return more responsibility to states. This leadership change occurs as FEMA faces significant staffing reductions, with more than 4,300 employees separating in the 2025 budget year.