Former Navy SEAL returns to agency that fired him after opposing elimination
The Senate on Friday confirmed Cameron Hamilton as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, returning the former Navy SEAL to the agency he led temporarily last year before being fired after he publicly opposed eliminating it, according to the Associated Press.
Hamilton was among a group of 74 nominations approved by the Senate, including President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Transportation Security Administration, David Cummins, and his choice for ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Perez.
Upon his swearing in, Hamilton will take over an agency whose future has been uncertain since Trump threatened, days into his second term, to get rid of it.
The Associated Press reported that Hamilton’s nomination signaled Trump may be moving on from that idea, while his Republican administration is still promising drastic changes in how the government handles disasters.
The agency is recovering from Kristi Noem’s tenure as Department of Homeland Security secretary, which the Associated Press described as chaotic. During that tenure, FEMA saw mass staff departures, disruptions to grant programs and delays of disaster aid.
Hamilton will have to shepherd that overhaul while stabilizing an agency of more than 20,000 employees.