Overview

• In a June 2 briefing, Acting Administrator David Richardson told staff he was unaware that U.S. hurricane season begins in June, leaving employees uncertain whether the remark was literal or in jest
• The Department of Homeland Security characterized Richardson’s comment as a joke and emphasized that FEMA is activated for the June 1–November 30 Atlantic season
• Richardson, a former Marine officer with no formal disaster response experience, declined to release a new 2025 hurricane disaster plan pending review by a Trump-appointed FEMA Review Council
• Since January, the Trump administration has cut about one-third of FEMA’s full-time staff and signaled plans to overhaul or potentially eliminate the agency, raising questions about response capacity
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Bennie Thompson publicly challenged Richardson’s qualifications, warning that leadership missteps could undermine disaster relief efforts