The new head of FEMA warned staffers against insubordination after his predecessor was fired for defying President Trump's wishes.

Cameron Hamilton was fired one day after telling Congress that proposals to eliminate FEMA are not in America's "best interests." The comments contradicted Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who have both said FEMA should be dismantled or significantly reformed.

FEMA head fired

Hamilton's swift firing led to outrage among Democrats, who called it an unjust act of retaliation. Some former FEMA bosses told The Hill that the firing came at a bad time, with hurricane season weeks away.

“It’s not what FEMA needed … 20 days from hurricane season … to lose their administrator and to have more turbulence,” said Pete Gaynor, who led the agency during the first Trump administration.

Trump and his team are moving quickly to shut down displays of open defiance like those he often faced during his first term, as Trump continues to shake up Washington, D.C. with historic government reform.

“My understanding is this individual testified saying something that was contrary to what the president believes and the goals of this administration in regards to FEMA policy,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

“And so of course we want to make sure that people in every position are advancing the administration’s goals."

"Get out of my way"

Trump has toyed with abolishing FEMA altogether, with a focus on shifting more disaster management to the states. Noem, in testimony to Congress last week, redoubled plans to end FEMA in its current form.

“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,” Noem told lawmakers.

Trump has set up a review panel to help streamline the agency, chaired by Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Other members include Republican governors like Texas' Greg Abbott, as well as the Democratic mayor of Tampa, Florida.

The new acting head of FEMA, former Marine Corps officer David Richardson, introduced himself to staff with a blunt warning.

“Obfuscation. Delay. Undermining. If you’re one of those 20% of the people and you think those tactics and techniques are going to help you, they will not because I will run right over you,” he said.

“I will achieve the president’s intent. I am as bent on achieving the president’s intent as I was on making sure that I did my duty when I took my Marines to Iraq.”