Updated Nov 17, 2025 - Politics & Policy

FEMA head resigns months after deadly Texas floods

Julianna Bragg

Richardson wearing a blue suit jacket, white shirt, blue tie and glasses — Acting FEMA director David Richardson testifies before a House Committee on July 23 in Washington, DC. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

David Richardson, the acting Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief, resigned on Monday after just six months in the post, multiple outlets reported.

The big picture: Richardson had no experience managing natural disasters. He faced sharp criticism for being unavailable as deadly flooding in Central Texas killed more than 130 people in July.

FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security "extend their sincere appreciation" to Richardson for delivering "historic funding" to several states and eliminating "serious government waste and inefficiency," during the 2025 hurricane season, a DHS spokesperson told Axios.

What we're watching: As hurricane season wraps up this month, the Trump administration is preparing to restructure FEMA, which would leave disaster relief up to the states.

The spokesperson added FEMA will shortly release its Review Council's final report, providing the administration with the latest reorganization efforts.

Context: Cameron Hamilton, the agency's previous acting director, was fired in May after he told federal lawmakers he didn't support the Trump administration's plan to dismantle the agency.

When Richardson was appointed to FEMA, he also retained his position as assistant secretary for the DHS' weapons of mass destruction office.
At a June briefing, Richardson shocked employees when he said he didn't know the U.S. had a hurricane season — a remark DHS later said was a joke, according to multiple outlets.

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

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FEMA head resigns months after deadly Texas floods

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