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By Adeola Adeosun and Gabe Whisnant
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David Richardson resigned Monday as acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after months of public controversy and internal frustration, The Washington Post and CNN reported. The embattled chief submitted his two-week notice to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees FEMA, after plans were already underway inside the agency to remove him, according to CNN.
A DHS spokesperson confirmed the resignation to Newsweek, thanking Richardson for his "dedicated service" and announcing his return to the private sector.
Why It Matters
Richardson's departure comes as FEMA faces mounting legal and operational challenges under President Donald Trump administration's reform agenda.
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State emergency management officials are already confronting unprecedented challenges as federal disaster preparedness grants face severe cuts, funding delays tied to litigation, and new population reporting requirements that have halted critical aid distribution. Last month, Senior District Judge William E. Smith rebuked the administration, accusing it of violating his previous order and requiring "unlawful" conditions for FEMA grants. When Trump took office in January, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said FEMA funding would come under scrutiny, particularly when it came to spending in Democrat-run cities and states.
What To Know
Richardson, who spent about six months leading the nation's disaster response agency, was frequently inaccessible, including during the early hours of the catastrophic Texas flooding over the Fourth of July weekend, the Post reported. Current FEMA employees said he had pulled back from daily operations in recent months and had privately indicated he did not expect to remain in the job past Thanksgiving, according to the Post.
DHS characterized Richardson's tenure differently, crediting him with delivering historic funding to North Carolina, Texas, Florida, New Mexico, and Alaska, and overseeing a comprehensive review that identified governmental waste and inefficiency.
A former Marine Corps artillery officer, Richardson took over for Cameron Hamilton in May after Noem ousted Hamilton for publicly contradicting the administration's aim to eliminate FEMA. He lacked experience in disaster management, and his time in charge was punctuated by eyebrow-raising moments—like in a June meeting in which he told staff he was unaware the U.S. has a hurricane season, a comment DHS later insisted was a joke.
Richardson's leadership faced its toughest test in July, when catastrophic floods devastated Texas and killed more than 130 people. As the crisis unfolded, Richardson was on vacation and unreachable for hours, surfacing more than a week later for an unannounced visit to Texas—days after Trump and Noem toured the area.
On one occasion, Richardson asked staff whether disaster funds could be steered to Republican areas but not Democratic ones, according to a FEMA official who heard the comments firsthand.
What People Are Saying
A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek on Monday: "The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 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. Mr. Richardson led FEMA through the 2025 hurricane season, delivering historic funding to North Carolina, Texas, Florida, New Mexico and Alaska, and overseeing a comprehensive review that identified and eliminated serious governmental waste and inefficiency, while refocusing the agency to deliver swift resources to Americans in crisis.
"We anticipate the forthcoming release of the FEMA Review Council's final report, which will inform this Administration's ongoing efforts to fundamentally restructure FEMA, transforming it from its current form into a streamlined, mission-focused disaster-response force. Starting December 1, FEMA Chief of Staff Karen Evans will step into this important role."
Cameron Hamilton, Richardson's predecessor. told CNN: "He never should have been there to begin with. The two words I'd use to describe him are unprofessional and overwhelmed."
An administration official told CNN: "Have you heard him speak? He does more damage than good."
A former high-ranking FEMA official told CNN: "FEMA likely would have failed had there been a major disaster. Having no big disasters has absolutely played into the Trump narrative that there is no need for FEMA."
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What Happens Next?
FEMA Chief of Staff Karen Evans will assume the acting administrator role starting December 1.
Sources told CNN that dozens of lawmakers have signed on to a bipartisan bill known as the “FEMA Act” that would remove the agency from DHS and make it independent — a change Noem opposes.
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