The acting chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency will step down after hurricane season, ending a turbulent tenure marked by public controversy and deep internal frustration. David Richardson submitted his resignation on Monday to the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, giving two weeks’ notice.
DHS confirmed the resignation to CNN, but three sources said plans were already underway to remove him, CNN reported. Richardson, a loyalist to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, was selected to lead FEMA despite having no background in disaster management.
His months in charge included several high-profile missteps, including a June meeting where he told employees he did not know the United States had a hurricane season. DHS later claimed the remark was a joke.
