President Donald Trump nominated former Navy SEAL Cameron Hamilton to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency, marking a notable comeback after he was fired from FEMA’s temporary leadership last year. The nomination comes as the administration appears to be backing away from earlier signals about dismantling FEMA, after criticism from lawmakers and emergency-management stakeholders. If confirmed, Hamilton would become FEMA’s first permanent administrator in Trump’s second term, serving as a principal adviser to the president and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on emergency management policy. The nomination also arrives as FEMA remains strained by staff departures, operational limits, and the aftermath of a prolonged DHS shutdown. The background included Hamilton’s earlier public defense of a federal role in disaster support for states, tribes, and territories—an argument that collided with internal discussions about abolishing the agency. For higher education institutions that depend on FEMA disaster declarations and recovery timelines—ranging from campus infrastructure restoration to research continuity—the leadership transition matters as the country approaches summer disaster season.