Acting FEMA Chief Steps Down Amid Existing DHS Plans To Oust Him

The acting chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency will resign after mounting frustration that’s reportedly led to the Department of Homeland Security already drafting plans to oust him.

David Richardson submitted his resignation to DHS on Monday, as first reported by CNN and CBS. He was picked to be acting administrator in May after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem fired predecessor Cameron Hamilton for opposing the Trump administration’s effort to eliminate the agency responsible for assisting victims of major disasters.

A DHS spokesperson confirmed the resignation to HuffPost, saying the department and FEMA “extend their sincere appreciation to [Richardson] for his dedicated service and wish him continued success in his return to the private sector.”

Karen Evans, FEMA’s chief of staff and an ally of President Donald Trump, will take over as acting administrator Dec. 1, according to the spokesperson.

DHS praised Richardson in its statement for his leadership through this year’s natural disasters, despite that being one of his biggest failures that led to internal and external backlash. Richardson had no experience managing natural disasters but told FEMA staff on his first day that he would “run right over” those who oppose him.

This spring, Richardson shocked FEMA staff when he told them he didn’t know the U.S. had a hurricane season in the first place. DHS tried to clean up the damage by saying the comment was a joke.

“Suffice to say, disaster response is no joke,” Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, said at the time. “If you don’t know what or when hurricane season is, you’re not qualified to run FEMA. Get someone knowledgeable in there.”

Richardson specifically came under fire for his handling of July’s massive flooding in central Texas that killed more than 130 people, including dozens of children and counselors at Camp Mystic. FEMA, which had undergone layoffs and resource cuts under Trump, was delayed in responding to the crisis and in deploying desperately needed search-and-rescue teams.

The acting chief was largely unreachable at the time, only showing up a week later for an unannounced visit to the flood zone. He defended his lack of action to Congress, calling it a “model for how to respond to a disaster.”

According to CNN, senior DHS leaders frustrated with Richardson’s communication failures limited his responsibilities over recent months, with plans to officially oust him when hurricane season ends this month.

The Trump administration created a FEMA Review Council, led by Noem, that is expected to release a report at the end of hurricane season, recommending major changes to the agency. DHS said the restructuring suggestions will transform FEMA “from its current form into a streamlined, missions-focused disaster-response force.”