June 3, 2025
FEMA staff members were left confused when Richardson allegedly claimed he wasn’t aware of the country’s devastating hurricane season.
As Republican senators who voted against Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) relief are now pushing for assistance, it doesn’t help that its leader, David Richardson, claimed not to know that the U.S. even suffered from hurricane season, HuffPost reported.
FEMA staff members were left confused when Richardson allegedly claimed he wasn’t aware of the country’s devastating hurricane season that had wiped out towns and left residents suffering for months on end. The head of the U.S. disaster agency made a remark during a briefing as the country entered the 2025 hurricane season.
A spokesperson alleges that under the leadership of Richardson and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, the agency is “shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens.” Seemingly placing blame on the outgoing administration, Richardson alleged there won’t be any changes to FEMA’s disaster response plans despite once telling staff that new plans are set to be revealed in May 2025.
Hurricane season for the United States officially started June 1, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasting as many as 10 hurricanes. Reports indicate a 60% chance of an above-normal 2025 season, with three to five of the projected 10 events labeled as “major.”
Despite some major side-eye action from critics, a DHS spokesperson promised Richardson — who took over for Cameron Hamilton, who was removed after telling lawmakers during a hearing that he did not believe FEMA should be eliminated — was simply joking about the severity of hurricane season. “Despite meanspirited attempts to falsely frame a joke as policy, there is no uncertainty about what FEMA will be doing this Hurricane Season,” the spokesperson said, according to NBC News, adding that Richardson is “activated in preparation for Hurricane Season.”
“FEMA is laser-focused on disaster response and protecting the American people.”
The agency, responsible for coordinating the government’s emergency response to natural disaster-affected areas, has been under attack by President Donald Trump and his loyal MAGA followers, including Sens. Thom Thills (R-NC) and Josh Hawley (R-MO), whose constituents have suffered recently from major hurricanes and tornadoes.
During a visit to the Tar Heel State to survey the damage left by Hurricane Helene, Trump floated the idea of eliminating FEMA completely, labeling it as “very bureaucratic” and “very slow.”
After an EF-3 tornado devastated the city of St. Louis and left five dead, Hawley begged for FEMA to “act very, very quickly” just months after voting against a bill that would provide more disaster relief funds for the agency.
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