The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency underwent a lie detector test conducted by the Department of Homeland Security to determine if confidential information from a recent private meeting was leaked, according to sources.
The test was administered to FEMA’s acting Administrator, Cameron Hamilton, following a meeting on March 25 with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski, an advisor to President Donald Trump. The test results cleared Hamilton and were disclosed within two days of the meeting.
Rooting Out Leakers
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the lie detector test in an email, emphasizing its commitment to identifying and prosecuting individuals who compromise national security by leaking sensitive information.
During the meeting on March 25 at DHS headquarters in Washington, Secretary Noem proposed significant reductions in FEMA’s size and a transition of disaster recovery responsibilities from the agency to states. This proposal came shortly after Noem publicly stated her intention to eliminate FEMA.
Media outlets reported on the meeting after it was disclosed by E&E News and CNN on March 26. The sudden shift in FEMA’s direction surprised many agency officials, including Hamilton, who reportedly had limited influence over pivotal decisions regarding FEMA’s future.
Agency Disarray
Noem’s announcement about the potential abolition of FEMA caught agency insiders off guard, with one official remarking, “We found out about it through television like everyone else.” Prior to this public declaration, Hamilton had outlined his vision for FEMA at a conference for emergency managers.
Despite his lack of experience in emergency management, Hamilton was appointed as FEMA’s assistant administrator by President Trump. In the absence of an official FEMA administrator, Hamilton assumed the role of acting administrator, overseeing the agency’s response and recovery operations.
Trump’s decision to entrust Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth with reviewing FEMA’s operations signified a shift in the agency’s leadership structure. Notably, every FEMA chief since 2009 had previously managed a state emergency management agency.
As the agency navigates these changes, the repercussions of the leaked meeting and the subsequent lie detector test underscore the challenges and uncertainties facing FEMA under new leadership.
