David Richardson, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), resigned on Monday (Nov. 17) after just six months in the job, marking the second leadership change at the agency under the Trump administration in recent months.
Richardson, a former Marine and assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, has faced intense scrutiny over FEMA’s response to deadly flooding in Texas this summer.
Controversial management and flood response
Richardson’s tenure was widely criticized for his low public profile and perceived mishandling of the catastrophic July 4th floods in the Texas Hill Country that killed more than 130 people.
Former FEMA officials and employees expressed concern over Richardson’s delayed visit to the disaster area, which took more than a week after the floods. Additionally, his comments at the start of his term – stating that he would “run over” anyone who resisted change and that all decisions must go through him – drew internal criticism.
In June, Richardson reportedly told employees he didn’t know the United States had a hurricane season.
Reduction in the number of employees
Richardson’s departure follows that of his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, who was ousted in May after resisting the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle FEMA. Since January, the agency has lost about 2,500 employees through buyouts, layoffs and other incentives, reducing its workforce.
In August, nearly 200 current and former FEMA employees signed an open letter criticizing the Trump administration’s disaster-related funding and staffing cuts, warning that such moves threaten national preparedness. FEMA subsequently placed those employees on administrative leave and launched an internal investigation.
Transition
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that FEMA Chief of Staff Karen Evans will join the agency.
Richardson leaves as the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, continues this year without any major landfalling storms.
The Trump administration has expressed a desire to significantly reduce the size of FEMA, arguing that many disaster response functions can be managed by state governments. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has largely served as the public face of the administration’s disaster response efforts.
