Donald Trump has ousted FEMA director David Richardson, a longtime loyalist of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, as he plans sweeping cuts to agency.
During Richardson’s six-month tenure leading the nation’s disaster response agency, employees described him as being absence during the early hours of the flood disaster in Texas over the Summer.
Richardson, moreover, reportedly avoided operation meetings and the day-to-day responsibilities of his role. The ousted FEMA chief also told fellow DHS staffers that he did not expect to have his job after Thanksgiving — he was right.
Richardson was appointed to lead FEMA after his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, was fired in May for opposing the administration’s desire to reduce the scope of the disaster response agency.
Noem fired Hamilton for publicly contradicting Trump’s desire to introduce massive cuts to FEMA.
His appointment was marred with criticism due to Richardson’s lack of experience regarding disaster management. Richardson reportedly told staffers during a June meeting that he was unaware the US was in the midst of hurricane season
During the Texas floods in July, Richardson was on a weekend trip with his two sons and did not respond to the ongoing disaster until Sunday evening, almost 48 hours after entire communities had been flooded and killed at least 130 people.
On his first day as the FEMA chief during an all-hands meeting, Richardson issued a shocking threat to thousands of staffers: ‘Don’t get in my way.’
David Richardson was ousted as the FEMA chief on Monday following reports of his absence during critical disaster relief efforts
Donald Trump ousted the FEMA chief as his administration plans to introduce sweeping cuts to the agency
Richardson was a loyalist of embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem
Richardson, initially, vowed to ‘achieve the president’s intent for FEMA,’ and transform the agency.
‘What it’s going to look like in the end, we’ll find out,’ Richardson said during the meeting. ‘I and I alone speak for FEMA.’
‘He never should have been there to begin with,’ Hamilton said in an interview with CNN. ‘The two words I’d use to describe him are unprofessional and overwhelmed.’
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