David Richardson is an American government official who most recently served as the Acting FEMA Administrator, formally titled the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the FEMA Administrator. He is a former United States Marine Corps ground combat officer and previously held the position of Assistant Secretary for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction at the Department of Homeland Security before assuming his leadership role at the Federal Emergency Management Agency in May 2025.
His tenure at FEMA is notable as he led the federal government's primary agency for disaster response and preparedness. The role is a critical one, coordinating national efforts during emergencies such as natural disasters, making any leadership change at its helm a significant event for national security and emergency management.
Richardson has been prominently in the news due to his sudden resignation from the position in November 2025. Multiple major news outlets reported on his departure, which came after approximately six months in the acting administrator role. The resignation was reported amid general references to operational challenges during his term, including questions about agency responsiveness during major incidents.
Latest related news
- FEMA head resigns. Richardson had been hard to reach during Texas floods. - The Washington Post 2025-11-18 11:00 · The Washington Post
- David Richardson, Acting FEMA Administration, Resigns - The New York Times 2025-11-18 06:26 · The New York Times
- Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson resigns - abcnews.go.com 2025-11-18 06:07 · abcnews.go.com
- FEMA acting chief David Richardson departs after 6 months on the job - NPR 2025-11-18 05:37 · NPR
- Acting FEMA chief David Richardson resigns from Trump administration - USA Today 2025-11-18 05:04 · USA Today
- Acting FEMA head David Richardson steps down after troubled tenure - Al Jazeera 2025-11-18 05:01 · Al Jazeera
- FEMA chief who was ‘no show’ during deadly Texas flooding resigns before White House can fire him - AOL.com 2025-11-18 04:59 · AOL.com
- Acting FEMA Director David Richardson resigns from position: reports - KDBC 2025-11-18 04:40 · KDBC
- Acting FEMA Director David Richardson resigns from position: reports - The National Desk 2025-11-18 04:38 · The National Desk
- Acting Head of FEMA David Richardson stepping down after short, troubled tenure - nypost.com 2025-11-18 03:58 · nypost.com