Kristi Noem Forces FEMA Director To Take Polygraph Amid Hunt for ‘Leakers’
AP Photo/Jack Dura, File
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered the acting director of FEMA to undergo a polygraph examination last month as part of an aggressive internal investigation into leaks within the agency.
According to a Friday report from Politico, DHS confirmed that FEMA Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton took the lie detector test on March 27 — just two days after a private meeting with Noem and Trump confidante Corey Lewandowski.
The meeting, which was held on March 25, focused on dramatically downsizing or potentially eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency altogether.
Details of the meeting were soon leaked, prompting a response from Noem.
Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL appointed by President Donald Trump to lead FEMA on an interim basis, agreed to the polygraph to determine whether he was behind the leak.
According to Politico, Hamilton passed the examination.
In a statement to the outlet, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said:
Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS is unapologetic about its efforts to root out leakers that undermine national security. We are agnostic about your standing, tenure, political appointment, or status as a career civil servant — we will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.
The meeting with Hamilton came on the heels of Noem’s public comments the day before, where she reportedly caught FEMA officials off guard by stating she wanted to “eliminate” the agency.
During a televised Trump administration meeting that same day, March 25, Noem stated her desire to shut FEMA down permanently. Trump responded approvingly.
Hamilton continues to serve as acting FEMA chief, but the agency’s future remains uncertain as the White House presumably continues discussions about shuttering it and allocating disaster funds directly to the states.
Trump has not nominated a permanent administrator and has not announced an intention to do so.
