Topline
David Richardson, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told staffers he was unaware that the U.S. had a hurricane season, according to multiple reports, comments that could further raise concerns about the agency’s preparedness in tackling natural disasters after the Trump administration removed its previous leader.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s acting head’s comments come just as the U.S. enters … More hurricane season.
Key Facts
According to Reuters, which first reported the story, the remarks caused confusion among FEMA staffers on whether Richardson was joking or was being serious.
Citing three unnamed sources, the report added Richardson’s comments reignited concerns about the Trump administration appointee’s lack of experience with disaster responses.
A spokesperson for the agency told various outlets the comments were made as a joke and “FEMA is laser focused on disaster response and protecting the American people.”
Richardson held an all-hands meeting at the agency on Monday, where he said he would not be issuing a new disaster management plan for this year to avoid getting ahead of the Trump administration’s FEMA Review Council.
According to the New York Times, staffers have been advised to respond to hurricanes this year the same way they did in 2024’s hurricane season, but this has raised concerns within the agency as it will be working with reduced staff.
How Have Democratic Lawmakers Reacted To The Report?
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tweeted a screenshot of the Reuters report on his X account and wrote: “And I’m unaware of why he hasn’t been fired yet.” Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the senior most Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, told Reuters: “Suffice to say, disaster response is no joke. If you don’t know what or when hurricane season is, you’re not qualified to run FEMA. Get someone knowledgeable in there.”
What Do We Know About The Trump Administration’s Handling Of Fema?
President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked FEMA—both during his 2024 campaign and since taking office—and even questioned the agency’s usefulness in tackling disasters. A few days after taking office, the president said he wanted to have a “discussion” about FEMA’s future, adding that he would “rather see the states take care of their own problems.” The agency’s former acting head, Cameron Hamilton, broke with Trump and told Congress during a hearing last month that FEMA’s job was critically important to communities and said its workforce was “tremendous and amazing, and they do a lot of great work.” Cameron was fired shortly after the hearing and was replaced with Richardson, who worked with the DHS’s Homeland Security’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office.
What Do We Know About The Fema Review Council?
In January, Trump said he was planning to sign an executive order to either overhaul or shut down FEMA. The comments were made during a visit to Asheville, North Carolina—which was devastated by Hurricane Helene last year. Trump suggested that instead of using FEMA, the federal government could directly send disaster aid to impacted states and said: “When there is a problem with a state, I think that that problem should be taken care of by the state.” While the disaster management agency has not been shut down, the Trump administration has formed the review council to conduct a “full-scale” assessment of its operations. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are the co-chairs of the FEMA Review Council, which also includes Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas.
Tangent
Over the past few months, FEMA’s workforce has been severely gutted by the Department of Government Efficiency’s sweeping efforts to slash the number of government employees. According to USA Today, around 2,000 of FEMA’s 6,100 full-time staff have either been fired or voluntarily left the agency in the past few months.
What To Watch For
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season started on Sunday and will last until November 30. Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted that there was a 60% chance of an above-normal hurricane season this year. The forecast expects between 13 and 19 total named storms this year, of which between 6 and 10 are forecast to become hurricanes—including 3 to 5 Category 3 or higher hurricanes with wind speeds above 111 mph.
Further Reading
FEMA Chief—A Trump Appointee—Fired Weeks Before Start Of Hurricane Season (Forbes)
Trump Suggests Abolishing FEMA In Latest Call To Overhaul Agency (Forbes)
Trump Questions FEMA’s Usefulness, Says He’d ‘Rather See The States Take Care Of Their Own Problems’ (Forbes)