Trump’s New FEMA Head Is Confirmed, As the Agency Is Still Critically Understaffed

Washington, DC – Cameron Hamilton was confirmed to be Trump’s new FEMA Administrator, while the agency is reportedly critically understaffed to handle a major disaster. Trump has gutted FEMA — sowing chaos in the agency, delaying and politicizing aid for devastated communities, and weakening our ability to respond to wildfires, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events. Last year as acting FEMA Administrator, Hamilton wrote a memo to the White House suggesting presidents approve fewer disaster requests and FEMA distribute less aid. 

Climate Power Senior Advisor Mia Logan issued the following statement: “Trump has gutted FEMA, and as acting Administrator, Cameron Hamilton spent months sitting by and helping him do it. Now, the agency is understaffed and unprepared to handle major disasters, while Trump continues to politicize disaster relief. Trump has abandoned communities to recover from disasters on their own, putting families at risk and making it more expensive to rebuild. Now that he’s been confirmed, Hamilton has to make a choice: Will he fulfill his duties to protect communities from disasters, or will he continue Trump’s agenda of sowing chaos, denying aid, and leaving Americans hung out to dry?” 

Trump has gutted FEMA and politicized disaster response: 

• This week, a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that Trump’s cuts have put FEMA at risk of having “critically low staffing levels” to handle a major disaster.
• GAO found that FEMA officials were “operating in uncertainty and confusion while still trying to meet the mission with the staff they have.” FEMA officials told the GAO they were “wandering around in the dark” while awaiting guidance from the Trump administration on staffing.
• During his previous tenure as acting FEMA Administrator, Hamilton wrote a memo to the White House suggesting presidents approve fewer disaster requests and FEMA distribute less aid.
• Trump has consistently politicized disaster aid. As of March 2026, it was three times harder for Democratic-led states to get Trump’s approval for federal disaster aid. Trump approved just 23% of disaster aid requests from Democratic-led states, compared to 89% for Republican-led states. 
• Recently, Trump overruled recommendations from regional NOAA and FEMA offices in order to reject disaster aid requests from four Democratic-led states following record-breaking snowstorms.

• A coalition of more than 25 states sued FEMA and DHS, accusing Trump of imposing “unlawful” conditions for disaster preparedness and response.
• Trump’s FEMA Review Council recommended overhauling the agency — pushing the financial and administrative burden of disaster recovery onto states and local communities, making it more expensive for people to rebuild.  
• Trump has undermined FEMA’s role in helping communities prepare for disasters. Trump’s FY’27 budget proposal included cutting $1.3 billion in FEMA funds for state and local emergency preparedness. 
• Trump has taken longer to approve or deny federal disaster aid than previous administrations, especially for states that did not vote for him. 

• Trump has taken an average of 63 days to make decisions about Democratic states’ disaster assistance requests. Meanwhile, Trump has taken an average of 39 days to make decisions about Republican states’ requests.
• Under Trump, pending FEMA disaster applications have sat longer on average than at any other point in the previous 37 years.
• Trump has cut key FEMA staff, delaying the distribution of critical disaster funding. In 2025, Trump’s Department of Homeland Security drafted plans to cut FEMA’s workforce by more than 50%, which would have resulted in the loss of more than 11,500 jobs.