The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), David Richardson, has resigned after six months in the role, a senior Trump administration official confirmed on Monday. His departure comes amid criticism over his handling of deadly flooding in Texas that killed more than 130 people in July.
Richardson, a former US Marine Corps officer, faced accusations of maintaining a low profile during the Texas floods. He had previously baffled staff in June by claiming he was unaware of the hurricane season, a comment his team later insisted was a joke but which was met with skepticism by former Fema personnel.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees Fema, said Richardson would return to the private sector. He will be replaced from December 1 by Fema Chief of Staff Karen Evans, who will oversee a radical overhaul of the agency as outlined in a forthcoming report from a White House review council.
A DHS spokesperson praised Richardson for leading Fema through the 2025 hurricane season and delivering historic funding to several states, while also overseeing a review that eliminated waste and inefficiency. The spokesperson added that the Fema Review Council's final report will inform efforts to restructure the agency into a streamlined disaster-response force.
Richardson's predecessor was fired in May after resisting Trump administration efforts to dismantle Fema. President Trump has advocated for reducing Fema's size, arguing that states can handle many federal disaster functions. Since January, Fema has lost about 2,500 employees through buyouts and firings, reducing its workforce to around 23,350.
