Acting FEMA head fired a day after he testified against closing the agency: Sources
The move comes just before the start of hurricane season.
Cameron Hamilton, who had been acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was fired Thursday, a day after telling Congress the agency should not be disbanded, putting him at odds with President Donald Trump's suggestions that FEMA be downsized or dissolved.
The change at the top of the agency that coordinates federal disaster relief comes a few weeks before the start of of hurricane season on June 1.
“Cameron Hamilton is no longer the Senior Official Performing the Duties of Administrator,” Julia Moline, the acting chief of staff, wrote in an email to all employees Thursday that was reviewed by ABC News.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Hamilton was called to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s office at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. He returned to the FEMA office a short time later and told staff he was fired, according to sources.
Speaking to the House Appropriations Committee on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Hamilton told lawmakers that FEMA should not be disbanded, putting him at odds with public comments from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that the agency has “failed” and should be “eliminated” or downsized.
“I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” he told lawmakers.
His comments came on the same day as Noem testified before the same committee.
“The president has indicated he wants to eliminate FEMA as it exists today, and to have states have more control over their emergency management response. He wants to empower local governments and support them and how they respond to their people,” Noem said.
Trump has been sharply critical of the agency's work, and suggested that the federal government send funds directly to states to assist with disaster relief, rather than have a role coordinating responses to major disasters.
David Richardson, who recently served as DHS assistant secretary for countering the weapons of mass destruction office, will now lead the agency on an interim basis, an administration official told ABC News.
The email sent to all FEMA employees also announced the news of Richardson's new role.
"Effective today, David Richardson is now serving as the Senior Official Performing the duties of the FEMA Administrator," a FEMA spokesperson told ABC News. "Cameron Hamilton is no longer serving in this capacity."
A DHS spokesperson also confirmed to ABC News that Richardson is serving as acting administrator but didn't mention Hamilton.
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