Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson resigned Monday. according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.
Richardson, who temporarily took over in May after former acting administrator Cameron Hamilton was fired by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a day after telling Congress that the agency should not be disbanded, putting him at odds with President Donald Trump’s suggestions that FEMA be reduced or dissolved.
Richardson was also in charge of the department’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office. It is unclear whether he will continue to serve in that role.
It is unclear who will lead the disaster management agency.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Acting Administrator David Richardson testifies before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management in the Rayburn House Office Building, July 23, 2025, in Washington, DC.
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Richardson has faced criticism during his tenure leading the agency.
At a House Transportation Committee hearing following the deadly flooding in Texas in July, Democrats criticized Richardson and FEMA’s response.
“You are the leader, but you did not lead, as federal law requires. But worse, you seem not interested in knowing what went wrong and how to respond,” said Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz.
Richardson was on vacation with her two children during the flood, but testified that he immediately coordinated a response with Texas officials, the White House and others from his truck.
In June, shortly after hurricane season began earlier in the month, Richardson told staff in a meeting that he didn’t know it had started, according to sources familiar with the meeting.
It was unclear whether Richardson was joking, but a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson argued that he was.
Asked by reporters during a White House news conference if Trump was “still comfortable” with Richardson after his comments, press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed concerns and said FEMA is taking the hurricane season “seriously, contrary to some of the reports we’ve seen based on jokes that were made and leaks from meetings.”
Richardson’s Comments an internal review followed stating that FEMA was “not ready” for the 2025 hurricane season in mid-May.
The DHS spokesperson denied that FEMA is unprepared, saying, “Despite petty attempts to falsely portray a joke as policy, there is no uncertainty about what FEMA will do this hurricane season.”
“FEMA is very focused on disaster response and protecting the American people,” the spokesperson added.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., sharply criticized Richardson: posting on X that “he doesn’t know why he hasn’t been fired yet.”
“Trump’s FEMA chief is incompetent,” said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass. aggregate. “People will die.”
