SAN DIEGO — President Donald Trump nominated Cameron Hamilton to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency on May 11, 2026. The nomination would return Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL, to an agency he previously led on an acting basis.

Hamilton served as acting FEMA administrator from January to May 2025 before being fired from the role in May 2025. FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

On May 7, 2025, Hamilton testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee. "I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency," he said.

Hamilton also spoke about his objections on the "Disaster Tough" podcast with John Scardena. "Once the conversation shifted to, 'Now we're going to abolish,' I immediately expressed concern," he said.

Since January 2025, the Trump administration has repeatedly moved to cut FEMA, and Trump has vowed to shift greater responsibility for disaster preparedness to state and local governments. In April 2026, more than a dozen FEMA employees who had previously criticized the Trump administration were reinstated.

DHS officials subjected Hamilton to a polygraph test during his tenure, accusing him and other officials of leaking details of a private meeting. He passed the polygraph test.

The leadership of DHS has changed since Hamilton's firing. Kristi Noem was ousted as Secretary of Homeland Security in the summer of 2025, and Markwayne Mullin was appointed to the post after her ouster. The department was shut down for 75 days, with the shutdown ending on April 30, 2026.

"Now is the opportunity to stabilize FEMA," said Michael Coen, a former FEMA chief of staff.