FEMA acting head David Richardson resigns after 6 months amid criticism over Texas flood response
David Richardson, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), resigned on Monday (November 17) after just six months in the role, marking the second leadership shakeup at the agency under the Trump administration in recent months.
Richardson, a former Marine Corps officer and assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, faced intense scrutiny over FEMA’s response to deadly floods in Texas this summer.
Controversial leadership and flood response
Richardson’s tenure was widely criticized for his low public profile and perceived mishandling of the catastrophic July 4th floods in Texas Hill Country, which killed more than 130 people.
Former FEMA officials and staff expressed concern over Richardson’s delayed visit to the disaster zone, which took more than a week after the floods. Additionally, his comments early in his tenure — stating he would “run right over” anyone resisting changes and that all decisions must go through him — drew internal criticism.
In June, Richardson reportedly told staff he was unaware the United States had a hurricane season.
Staff reductions
Richardson’s departure follows that of his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, who was ousted in May after resisting Trump administration efforts to dismantle FEMA. Since January, the agency has lost approximately 2,500 employees through buyouts, firings, and other incentives, reducing its workforce.
In August, nearly 200 current and former FEMA staffers signed an open letter criticizing the Trump administration’s cuts to disaster-related funding and staffing, warning that such moves compromised national preparedness. FEMA subsequently placed those staffers on administrative leave and launched an internal investigation.
Transition
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that FEMA Chief of Staff Karen Evans will step in to lead the agency.
Richardson leaves as the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, continues without any major landfall storms this year.
The Trump administration has expressed a desire to significantly reduce FEMA’s size, arguing that many disaster response functions can be handled by state governments. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has largely served as the public face of the administration’s disaster response efforts.
