Overview
- Richardson submitted his resignation with two weeks’ notice, and multiple reports say agency leaders had been preparing to remove him.
- He faced sustained criticism over July’s Central Texas floods, with officials saying he was unreachable for roughly a day while on vacation as more than 130 people died.
- DHS says a forthcoming FEMA Review Council report will guide plans to reshape the agency into a more streamlined disaster-response force.
- In a statement, DHS praised Richardson’s service, noted his planned return to the private sector, and highlighted relief funding delivered during the 2025 hurricane season.
- FEMA has been undergoing major downsizing this year, with reports of thousands of jobs cut, prompting warnings from employees and lawmakers about disaster readiness.