Esra Tekin
18 November 2025•Update: 19 November 2025
ISTANBUL
David Richardson resigned on Monday as the acting administrator of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, bringing an end to a short period at the helm of an agency the Trump administration has openly indicated it wants to dismantle.
Richardson, who served roughly six months as the interim leader of the nation’s disaster response agency, maintained a low public profile and was often difficult to reach, including during the first critical hours of the Texas flooding over the Fourth of July weekend.
According to five current FEMA employees, Richardson had recently become disengaged from daily operations, frequently skipping routine meetings and avoiding responsibilities that normally require the administrator to be readily accessible.
As with others interviewed for this and earlier reporting, the staff members requested anonymity, citing concerns about possible retaliation.
Following reports from The Washington Post and other media outlets confirming Richardson’s departure, Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) assistant secretary for public affairs, announced that FEMA Chief of Staff Karen Evans will assume the role beginning in December.
DHS is the parent department responsible for FEMA.
Richardson submitted his resignation letter Monday morning, according to a person familiar with the matter, and intends to move into the private sector.
In the statement released by McLaughlin, DHS thanked Richardson for his “dedicated service," wishing him "continued success in his return to the private sector.”
His departure adds to the instability facing FEMA, which is confronting an uncertain path and the possibility of major restructuring.
The administration is awaiting recommendations from a review council created by President Donald Trump and led by DHS Secretary Kristi L. Noem, which is preparing a report on how to improve the nation’s disaster-response system.
The council may suggest reforms, or potentially further reductions, to the agency.
“We anticipate the forthcoming release of the FEMA Review Council’s final report, which will inform this administration’s ongoing efforts to fundamentally restructure FEMA, transforming it from its current form into a streamlined, mission-focused disaster-response force,” McLaughlin said.
Richardson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Since Trump assumed office, FEMA has seen up to a quarter of its workforce depart, according to several agency officials. As part of the agency’s ongoing turmoil, dozens of employees signed a public letter in August criticizing FEMA’s leadership and warning that the agency had been run by officials who lacked the experience and authority needed to oversee its operations.
