Kathrine Frich
No one was sure if he was serious, joking, or dangerously uninformed.
No one was sure if he was serious, joking, or dangerously uninformed.
“I Didn’t Know the U.S. Has a Hurricane Season”
America’s top disaster official just triggered a storm of his own. David Richardson, the newly appointed head of FEMA, left agency insiders stunned after admitting, during hurricane season, that he didn’t know the U.S. even had one.
Here’s what we know about the comment, the chaos inside FEMA, and why lawmakers are now calling for his firing.
“He Said What?”: The Comment That Rocked FEMA
During an internal FEMA briefing, Richardson reportedly said he was unaware of the existence of hurricane season.
Multiple staffers said the remark spread like wildfire through the agency, sparking confusion and disbelief.
No one was sure if he was serious, joking, or dangerously uninformed.
It’s Hurricane Season Right Now
To be clear: hurricane season in the U.S. officially began on June 1 and runs through November.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has warned of an above-normal season, predicting up to 10 hurricanes.
It’s not exactly obscure knowledge for someone running America’s disaster response.
“It Was a Joke” but Not Everyone’s Laughing
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson later claimed the comment was meant as a joke.
Still, FEMA staff weren’t amused, especially given Richardson’s lack of emergency management experience and the agency’s recent turmoil.
No New Plan, No Clear Direction
At the same meeting, Richardson backed off earlier plans to roll out a new disaster response strategy.
After previously promising updates and simulation exercises by May 23, he told staff the plan would not move forward with no explanation.
Leadership Vacuum Amid Cuts and Layoffs
Richardson took over FEMA in May after Trump abruptly fired his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton.
Since Trump’s return to office, nearly 2,000 FEMA staff have been laid off or resigned about a third of the agency.
Sources say there’s growing fear FEMA is being gutted just as storm threats grow.
Richardson Has Zero Disaster Experience
Before FEMA, Richardson served in a DHS role focused on weapons of mass destruction.
He’s a former Marine gunnery officer, but he’s never led a civilian disaster response effort.
Critics say that’s a dangerous mismatch for an agency tasked with protecting Americans from hurricanes, floods, and more.
Democrats Say: Fire Him Now
Top Democrats have pounced. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted the news with disbelief.
Congressman Bennie Thompson declared flatly: “If you don’t know what hurricane season is or when it is, you are not qualified to run FEMA.”
FEMA Is Losing Its Edge
Staff cuts, travel bans, and speech restrictions have gutted FEMA’s ability to train state and local responders. Hurricane workshops were slashed.
Veteran staff say the agency is less prepared than it has been in decades, right as climate change fuels deadlier storms.
Meanwhile, Trump Wants to Shrink FEMA
President Trump has said FEMA should be scaled back, or even eliminated. He argues states should handle more on their own.
But with disasters growing more complex and deadly, critics say FEMA is more essential than ever, and needs expert leadership, not confusion at the top.
