# Former FEMA Chief Cameron Hamilton Nominated to Lead Agency  
**Published:** 2026-05-11T22:57:02.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/repub/trump-nominates-ousted-fema-chief-to-return/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/former-fema-chief-cameron-hamilton-nominated-to-lead-agency

[President Donald Trump on Monday nominated Cameron Hamilton to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/repub/trump-nominates-ousted-fema-chief-to-return/), marking a dramatic reversal for the former Navy SEAL who was fired less than a year ago after defending the agency's continued existence. Hamilton, who briefly served as FEMA's acting administrator from January to May 2025, was dismissed one day after testifying before Congress that eliminating FEMA "is not in the best interest of the American people."

Hamilton will face Senate confirmation before assuming the role as FEMA's first permanent administrator in Trump's second term. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is expected to schedule hearings in coming weeks. [His nomination comes as the Trump administration has increasingly signaled it is backing away from promises to dismantle FEMA](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/11/donald-trump-nominates-cameron-hamilton-fired-defending-fema-lead/), an agency the president previously criticized.

The 45-year-old's path to the nomination was contentious. Hamilton had served as a Navy hospital corpsman and spent a decade as a Navy SEAL before moving to the State Department and then the Department of Homeland Security. When Trump appointed him as acting FEMA administrator in January 2025, the administration was already discussing "getting rid" of the agency entirely.

His downfall came during a May 7 House Appropriations subcommittee hearing when Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut asked if he believed FEMA should be abolished. [Hamilton responded that he did not believe "it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency."](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/11/donald-trump-nominates-cameron-hamilton-fired-defending-fema-lead/) He was terminated the following day.

In subsequent media appearances, Hamilton said he was polygraphed in March 2025 by DHS officials who questioned his character and ethics. ["Once the conversation shifted to, 'Now we're going to abolish,' I immediately expressed concern,"](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/11/donald-trump-nominates-cameron-hamilton-fired-defending-fema-lead/) Hamilton said on the "Disaster Tough" podcast in September 2025.

Hamilton's comeback reflects broader shifts within the Trump administration. [The agency has gone through three temporary leaders since his departure, and would emerge from a 75-day DHS shutdown that ended April 30, with its workforce worn down by mass departures.](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/11/donald-trump-nominates-cameron-hamilton-fired-defending-fema-lead/) A Trump-appointed FEMA review council last week recommended that states assume greater responsibility for disaster relief, but stopped short of abolishing the agency.

For Nebraskans, the nomination has direct implications. [Lancaster County and 11 other Nebraska counties were designated disaster areas following severe storms and flooding in August 2025](https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4420/designated-areas), making them eligible for federal recovery assistance. Hamilton's leadership will determine how effectively FEMA responds to future disasters across the state.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/repub/trump-nominates-ousted-fema-chief-to-return/)
- [Washington Times reporting on Hamilton's nomination and background](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/may/11/donald-trump-nominates-cameron-hamilton-fired-defending-fema-lead/)
- [FEMA information on Nebraska disaster designations](https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4420/designated-areas)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/repub/trump-nominates-ousted-fema-chief-to-return/.