FEMA acting chief David Richardson departs after six months on the job
[November 18, 2025]
By GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The acting chief of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency left his job Monday after just six months, according to the
Department of Homeland Security, the latest disruption in a year of mass
staff departures, program cuts and policy upheaval at the agency charged
with managing federal disaster response.
David Richardson, who in his brief term remained largely out of public
sight, is leaving the post after he faced a wave of criticism for his
handling of the deadly Texas floods earlier this year. He replaced
previous acting head Cameron Hamilton in May.
DHS did not comment on the details of Richardson's departure, but a FEMA
employee familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that
Richardson resigned. The employee spoke on condition of anonymity
because they weren't authorized to discuss the changes with the media.
“The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland
Security extend their sincere appreciation to the Senior Official
Performing the Duties of the Administrator, David Richardson, for his
dedicated service and wish him continued success in his return to the
private sector,” a DHS spokesperson told The Associated Press.
The Washington Post first reported the news about Richardson’s
resignation.
A former Marine Corps officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and
also led the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office,
Richardson had no previous emergency management experience when he
assumed the role of “senior official performing the duties of
administrator” in May.
After replacing Hamilton, who was fired one day after telling a House
appropriations committee that he did not think FEMA should be
eliminated, Richardson vowed to help fulfill President Donald Trump’s
goal to push more disaster recovery responsibilities to the states and
told FEMA employees he would “ run right over ” anyone who tried to
obstruct that mission.
But Richardson’s leadership was questioned by members of Congress and
FEMA employees, particularly after remaining largely out of sight after
the deadly Texas floods last July that killed at least 136 people.
When asked by a House committee in July why he did not arrive on the
ground until one week after the disaster, Richardson said he stayed in
Washington, D.C., to “kick down the doors of bureaucracy,” but also said
he was camping with his sons for the July 4 weekend when the floods
first hit and initially helped manage the response from inside his
truck.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters is photographed
in Washington, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has also kept a tight grip
on FEMA programs and spending, requiring that she personally approve
any agency expenditure over $100,000. Richardson had denied reports
that the approval policy slowed down FEMA's response in Texas.
FEMA Chief of Staff and former cybersecurity official Karen Evans
will assume the role on Dec. 1, according to DHS. The FEMA
administrator is required by law to have emergency management
experience, but the Trump administration has circumvented those
requirements up to now by appointing temporary leaders.
The agency has undergone major upheaval since Trump returned to
office in January promising to vastly overhaul if not eliminate the
agency. About 18% of the agency’s permanent full-time employees had
departed as of June, including 24 senior-level staffers, according
to the Government Accountability Office.
The Trump administration also has slashed mitigation funding, placed
requirements on preparedness grants that compel recipients to comply
with Trump’s immigration agenda, and denied several states’ requests
for major disaster declaration requests.
DHS did not respond to questions about whether Richardson will still
lead the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office.
Trump appointed a 12-member review council led by Noem and Defense
Secretary Pete Hegseth to deliver recommendations on how to reform
FEMA and push more responsibility to the states for disaster
preparedness, response and recovery. The council is expected to
deliver its recommendations in December.
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