Washington, D.C. — Acting FEMA Director David Richardson told staff during a recent all-hands meeting that he was unaware the 2025 hurricane season had already begun, according to multiple sources familiar with the gathering.
Hurricane season officially started on Sunday, June 1, and runs through November 30. It remains unclear whether Richardson, who took over the agency in mid-May, was joking. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), however, insisted his remark was meant in jest.
The comment quickly raised concerns, prompting questions during a White House press briefing on Tuesday. When asked if President Donald Trump still had confidence in Richardson, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism. She said FEMA is fully engaged with hurricane season preparations.
“FEMA is taking hurricane season seriously, contrary to some of the reporting we’ve seen based on jokes and leaks from internal meetings,” Leavitt said.
Concerns Over Preparedness
Richardson’s remark came just weeks after an internal FEMA review reportedly found the agency unprepared for the 2025 hurricane season. The DHS spokesperson rejected that assessment, stating, “Despite mean-spirited attempts to falsely frame a joke as policy, there is no uncertainty about what FEMA will be doing this hurricane season.”
“FEMA is laser-focused on disaster response and protecting the American people,” the spokesperson added.
Still, Richardson’s comment drew swift criticism from congressional Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “I’m unaware of why he hasn’t been fired yet.” Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called Richardson “incompetent” and warned, “People will die.”
Shift in FEMA Strategy
The meeting took place Monday morning, where Richardson had planned to update staff on FEMA’s hurricane season strategy. According to the DHS spokesperson, the agency is undergoing a transformation under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Richardson.
“It’s not a secret that FEMA is shifting from bloated, D.C.-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors,” the spokesperson said. “The old processes failed Americans in real emergencies for decades, and we are replacing them.”
Despite those claims, sources at the meeting say Richardson is continuing to follow a plan developed during the Biden administration. This decision appears to be aimed at maintaining consistency and avoiding disruption to the FEMA Review Council, which was created under President Trump and Secretary Noem.
Debate Over Strategy and Resources
Dan Stoneking, a former FEMA official and head of Stoneking Strategic Communications, argued that by relying on the previous administration’s plan, the Trump administration is essentially acknowledging its own lack of readiness.
“That plan was built with more funding and before the massive loss of experienced FEMA staff,” Stoneking said. “Clearly, adjustments are needed now to make it work.”
He criticized the administration’s decision, saying it undermines FEMA’s ability to respond effectively.
“This is not laser-focused. This is not empowering,” he said. “It’s a preamble to a slower and less effective federal response, which this administration created but will wrongly blame on its predecessors.”
Stoneking ended with a pointed quote: “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time.”
White House Maintains Confidence
Despite the backlash, the White House maintains the country is ready for the storm season. Press Secretary Leavitt said President Trump remains committed to disaster readiness.
“The president will deeply and thoughtfully consider any requests for federal aid that come to his desk,” she said.
