Acting FEMA Chief David Richardson Resigns Amid Intense Criticism Over Disaster Response
David Richardson, the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), resigned on Monday after a brief and troubled six-month tenure, following intense scrutiny over his handling of the catastrophic Central Texas floods that claimed over 130 lives this past summer. The Trump administration has named FEMA Chief of Staff Karen Evans as his successor, effective December 1, 2025.
David Richardson, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator, officially submitted his resignation on Monday, ending his short and controversial leadership of the nation’s primary disaster response agency. The move comes amid a torrent of criticism directed at Richardson for his perceived inaccessibility and detachment during the deadly Central Texas floods in July 2025, a disaster that swept away a children’s camp and killed over 130 people. Reports indicated that Richardson was unreachable for hours during the initial, critical phase of the disaster, a lapse that compounded public and political frustration over the agency’s delayed deployment of search and rescue teams, which took more than 24 hours to reach the affected areas.
The former U.S. Marine Corps officer, who assumed the acting role in May, repeatedly drew fire from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers during a congressional hearing in July, where he staunchly defended the agency’s performance as a “model” and asserted he could not “see anything we did wrong.” His tenure was also clouded by internal staff concern after he reportedly joked in a meeting about being unaware the country had a hurricane season, an incident that further questioned his suitability for the role. Richardson’s departure marks the second change in leadership at FEMA since May, following the firing of his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, who was reportedly ousted for opposing the administration’s vocal efforts to significantly reduce the size and scope of the federal agency.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees FEMA, confirmed the resignation and announced that Karen Evans, the current FEMA Chief of Staff, will assume the role of acting administrator beginning on December 1, 2025. A DHS spokesperson commended Richardson’s service, noting his efforts to deliver historic funding to several states and oversee a review aimed at streamlining the agency, which the Trump administration has repeatedly expressed a desire to fundamentally restructure and reduce the federal role in disaster response. Richardson’s abrupt exit occurs while the Atlantic hurricane season remains underway and as the FEMA Review Council is expected to deliver a sweeping report with recommendations on the future architecture of the agency.
