Kristi Noem Terminates 24 FEMA Employees After Cybersecurity Breach

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has dismissed two dozen employees from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following a significant cybersecurity breach involving a “threat actor.” This decision was announced after a review of the agency’s cybersecurity protocols, as reported by the New York Post on July 7, 2023.

Noem criticized FEMA’s IT leadership, stating, “FEMA’s career IT leadership failed on every level. Their incompetence put the American people at risk.” The press release emphasized the gravity of the situation, highlighting failures such as the absence of multi-factor authentication and the use of “prohibited legacy protocols.”

Among those terminated were Charles Armstrong, the Chief Information Officer, and Gregory Edwards, the Chief Information Security Officer, along with 22 other staff members. Noem stated, “These deep-state individuals were more interested in covering up their failures than in protecting the Homeland and American citizens’ personal data, so I terminated them immediately. The American people deserve results from their government.”

The identity of the individual responsible for the breach remains unclear. FEMA has not yet responded to inquiries from the Daily Beast, nor has the Department of Homeland Security provided comment.

Challenges at FEMA Amid Leadership Changes

FEMA has faced considerable turbulence since Donald Trump indicated a desire to significantly reduce the agency’s role. Recently, nearly 200 current and former FEMA staffers submitted a letter to Congress, warning that the agency was dangerously mismanaged and that Trump’s administration was undermining protections essential for effective natural disaster responses.

Following these concerns, several employees were placed on leave. In a related incident, Noem faced criticism for her response to severe flooding in Texas, which resulted in over 135 fatalities. Reports indicated that she delayed the deployment of an Urban Search and Rescue team for several days, pending her approval of expenditures exceeding $100,000.

In May, she terminated acting FEMA administrator Cameron Hamilton just one day after he publicly opposed proposed cuts to the agency, stating to Congress, “I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” Hamilton was replaced by David Richardson, who later faced scrutiny for reportedly stating he was unaware that the U.S. had a hurricane season. A spokesperson for Homeland Security later claimed his comment was intended as a joke.

As FEMA navigates these significant leadership changes and cybersecurity challenges, the focus remains on ensuring the agency can effectively respond to natural disasters while safeguarding sensitive information.