FEMA Director David Richard Says He Didn’t Know About Hurricane Season In U.S. Before Trump Appointed Him

Acting Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) David Richardson reportedly said he did not know about hurricane season in the United States.

Richardson, who has led FEMA since early May, made the statement during a briefing. It is unclear whether Richardson was being literal or humorous.

Richardson, who was appointed to the position by President Donald Trump, also mentioned there would be no changes to FEMA’s disaster response plans despite telling staff members a new plan was in the works.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA’s parent agency, insisted that Richardson’s statement was a joke and the agency is well-prepared to respond to natural disasters.

Hurricane season in the United States officially begins on June 1 and lasts through the end of November.

Richardson’s comments come amid a great deal of skepticism surrounding the agency. Significant cuts to FEMA, implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative led by Elon Musk, have raised concerns about the agency’s ability to respond to natural disasters effectively.

The Department of Homeland Security maintains a high level of confidence in the agency’s preparedness, claiming that under the leadership of Richardson, “FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens.”

Democrats do not seem to echo the same level of confidence.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi), who serves on the House Homeland Security Committee, which oversees FEMA, was quite concerned with Richardson’s apparent joke.

“Suffice to say, disaster response is no joke. If you don’t know what or when hurricane season is, you’re not qualified to run FEMA,” said Thompson in an official statement on Richardson’s comment. “Get someone knowledgeable in there.”

The United States National Weather Service has forecasted an above-normal hurricane season for 2025.