Acting FEMA Chief David Richardson Resigns After Controversial Six-Month Tenure

Acting FEMA Administrator Steps Down Amid Questions Over Leadership and Readiness

The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, David Richardson, has resigned after six turbulent months marked by criticism over his availability and preparedness during a deadly hurricane season. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Richardson will be succeeded by FEMA Chief of Staff Karen Evans, a former senior adviser at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, effective Dec. 1.

A DHS spokesperson thanked 'the senior official performing the duties of the administrator, David Richardson, for his dedicated service' and wished him success as he returns to the private sector. Multiple news outlets reported that internal plans to remove Richardson were underway and that he submitted his resignation letter on Monday.

Background and Concerns

Richardson was elevated to acting administrator in May after his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, was abruptly dismissed following disagreements with President Donald Trump over the future role of FEMA. Hamilton had told a Congressional hearing that he did not support plans to 'wean off' FEMA and transfer responsibility to the states.

A Marine veteran who previously taught history and martial arts, Richardson was brought into FEMA from DHS's Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, where he served as an assistant secretary. He arrived at FEMA without prior disaster-response experience, a gap that drew scrutiny after a June all-staff meeting in which he said he was unaware the United States has a hurricane season; DHS later characterized that remark as 'a joke.'

Operational Failures During Hurricane Season

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had forecast an 'above-normal' season, predicting five to nine hurricanes and two to five major storms. According to reports in The Wall Street Journal, Richardson told FEMA staff two weeks before the season began that the agency did not yet have a completed disaster-response plan.

As flash floods struck parts of Texas on July 4, several current and former FEMA officials told The Washington Post that Richardson was on vacation with his two sons and was unreachable by staff. Those officials said his absence impeded the deployment of emergency resources that, under new DHS rules, required his sign-off. 'Nobody could get ahold of him for hours and hours,' one senior official coordinating search-and-rescue resources told the Post.

Richardson later defended his actions to lawmakers, saying he had been coordinating by phone: 'I spent the entire vacation in my vehicle speaking on my phone to either the state of Texas or DHS coordinating for the events in Texas.' The July floods in Texas resulted in more than 100 deaths, a toll that Yale Climate Connections reported makes it one of the deadliest flash floods in U.S. history.

Congressional Scrutiny

Lawmakers pressed Richardson over FEMA's response. Arizona Rep. Greg Stanton asked whether victims and survivors in Texas deserved an apology. Richardson replied, 'What happened in Texas was an absolute tragedy. It's hard to fathom. I went to Texas. I flew over. It was an absolute tragedy. My heart goes out to the people in Texas.'

This resignation and leadership change raise questions about FEMA's readiness during major disaster periods and the criteria used for senior appointments to the agency. DHS named Karen Evans as the acting administrator effective Dec. 1 while FEMA and Congress continue to review the agency's preparedness and response protocols.