Washington — David Richardson, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is leaving his post, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed Monday. . Richardson submitted his resignation Monday morning, according to five current and former homeland security officials familiar with the decision.
He served as FEMA's "Senior Official Performing the Duties" of administrator since May 8, 2025, when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem abruptly removed his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton. Before leading FEMA, Richardson was Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security's Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office.
FEMA chief of staff Karen Evans will step into his role starting Dec. 1, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said.
From the outset, Richardson's leadership style garnered attention. In his first all-hands meeting he told agency staff: "Don't get in my way … I will run right over you," and declared, "I and I alone speak for FEMA."
In a statement, a DHS spokesperson expressed their "appreciation" to Richardson and wished him "continued success in his return to the private sector," and outlined some of the things he oversaw in his short tenure at the helm of FEMA.
Richardson's resignation comes amid mounting criticism over FEMA's response to the devastating Ccentral Texas floods in July, which claimed more than 130 lives, including 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic on the Guadalupe River. Richardson was sharply criticized – including by lawmakers on Capitol Hill – for being inaccessible during the crisis, with FEMA officials telling CBS News that the acting administrator was unreachable for hours, complicating efforts to deploy search-and-rescue teams.
At a congressional hearing in July, Richardson defended FEMA's performance as a "model" of disaster response, disputing reports of delayed deployments and unanswered calls. He also denied there were lapses in contracts for FEMA's disaster help line.
In one widely reported gaffe, Richardson also told colleagues he was unaware the U.S. has a hurricane season — comments sources say raised serious concerns among seasoned emergency managers.
Critics—including current and former FEMA employees—have also pointed to bureaucratic bottlenecks under Noem's leadership, including a directive that any expenditure over $100,000 require the DHS secretary's personal sign-off.
Richardson's resignation lands at roughly the same time that the FEMA Review Council is expected to deliver a sweeping report to the president, outlining recommendations to restructure and reshape the agency. The council's work was ordered by the White House to conduct a comprehensive assessment of FEMA's performance during the Biden administration and deliver a formal report to the president in November. President Trump has repeatedly signaled that FEMA "should be eliminated as it exists," with Noem directing the council not merely to evaluate the agency but to fundamentally "reimagine" it.
