Trump to nominate Cameron Hamilton to run FEMA after he was ousted last year

Politics Trump to nominate Cameron Hamilton to run FEMA after he was pushed out as acting leader nearly a year ago By Nicole Sganga Nicole Sganga Homeland Security and Justice Correspondent Nicole Sganga is CBS News' homeland security and justice correspondent. She is based in Washington, D.C., and reports for all shows and platforms. Read Full Bio Nicole Sganga Updated on: April 17, 2026 / 9:43 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google President Trump intends to nominate Cameron Hamilton to run the Federal Emergency Management Agency after he was pushed out as acting leader nearly a year ago, according to two people familiar his plans.  FILE - Cam Hamilton testifies before the House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security oversight hearing of FEMA on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 7, 2025. Jose Luis Magana / AP Hamilton is a former Navy SEAL who worked for a defense contractor and previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress in Virginia. The New York Times first reported Hamilton has been tapped to lead FEMA again. He was ousted from that position less than a year ago after he told members of Congress that the agency should not be eliminated. At the time, Congress was reviewing the Trump administration's proposal to slash FEMA's budget, nixing $646 million in non-disaster grants during the 2026 fiscal year. His firing took place roughly three weeks before the start of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.The White House declined to comment. A DHS spokesperson told CBS News, "DHS has no personnel announcements to make at this time." Hamilton did not get along with former Department of Homeland Security senior adviser Corey Lewandowski — who ultimately fired the former FEMA administrator at the direction of then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, but he has maintained many allies inside the Trump administration.  More from CBS News Trump to sign executive order on psychedelic drug used abroad to treat PTSD