David Richardson, the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, resigned Monday after roughly six months leading the agency, two administration officials confirmed to NBC News.
Richardson’s short time as head of FEMA came during a turbulent chapter for the agency. President Donald Trump’s administration has proposed major cuts to its budget, and Trump has publicly called for the agency to be eliminated after this year’s hurricane season winds down at the end of the month.
During Richardson’s time as FEMA chief, he was heavily criticized for his slow response to the catastrophic floods that devastated Texas’ Hill Country in July. Richardson could not be reached for 24 hours after raging floodwaters killed more than 130 people in the state on July 4, including 27 girls and counselors at Camp Mystic, a Christian youth summer camp.
It was later revealed that Richardson, who did not have emergency management experience before he became acting head of FEMA, had been on vacation for the holiday weekend.
The White House referred all requests for comment on Richardson’s departure to the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA.
Richardson, a former Marine Corps officer, was selected to lead FEMA on a temporary basis in May. He took over from the prior acting administrator, Cameron Hamilton, who was pushed out and replaced after just a few months.
