David Richardson, the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, resigned Monday after roughly six months in the job, according to Reuters. His departure marks the latest upheaval inside an agency already struggling with internal turmoil and heightened political pressure.
Richardson, a former Marine Corps officer, assumed the role in May following the abrupt removal of his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton. His tenure was defined by controversy from the start. In early meetings, according to CNBC, Richardson warned employees that he would "run right over" anyone who resisted his planned overhaul of the agency and declared that he alone "speaks for FEMA."
Richardson also drew criticism for his limited visibility during the catastrophic July floods in Texas, where more than 130 people were killed. Current and former officials told The Washington Post he was difficult to reach during the federal response.
He faced further scrutiny after remarking during a briefing that he was unaware the United States had a hurricane season—a statement DHS later claimed was intended as a joke, WaPo reported.
His resignation comes amid broader instability at FEMA, which has experienced leadership turnover and staff departures throughout the year. No successor has yet been named, and the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding his exit.
