FEMA acting chief David Richardson departs after 6 months on the job, officials say
Nov 17, 2025, 12:20 PM | Updated: 2:28 pm
James Jones carries sandbags while trying to prevent water from running off a property scorched in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., as the region remains under flash flood warnings on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Noah Berger)
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The acting chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency left his job Monday after just six months, according to the Department of Homeland Security, the latest disruption in a year of mass staff departures, program cuts and policy upheaval at the agency charged with managing federal disaster response.
David Richardson is leaving the post after replacing previous acting head Cameron Hamilton. DHS did not comment on the reason for his departure.
A former Marine Corps officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and also led the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office, Richardson had no previous emergency management experience when he assumed the role of “senior official performing the duties of administrator” in May.
