The acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is resigning after growing frustration that reportedly led the Department of Homeland Security to draw up plans to remove him.

David Richardson submitted his resignation from DHS on Monday, as first reported by CNN and News. He was elected acting administrator in May after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem fired his predecessor Cameron Hamilton for opposing the Trump administration’s effort to eliminate the agency responsible for helping victims of major disasters.

A DHS spokesperson confirmed the resignation to News themezone and said the department and FEMA “extend their sincere gratitude to [Richardson] for his dedicated service and we wish him continued success in his return to the private sector.”

Karen Evans, FEMA chief of staff and an ally of President Donald Trump, will take over as acting administrator on Dec. 1, according to the spokesperson.

Acting FEMA Chief David Richardson testifies at a House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee hearing in July in Washington, DC.
Acting FEMA Chief David Richardson testifies at a House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee hearing in July in Washington, DC.

Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

DHS praised Richardson in its statement for his leadership during this year’s natural disasters, even though it was one of his biggest failures that sparked internal and external backlash. Richardson had no experience handling natural disasters, but he told FEMA staff on his first day that he would “run over” anyone who opposed him.

This spring, Richardson surprised FEMA staff when he told them that he didn’t know the United States had a hurricane season in the first place. DHS attempted to repair the damage by saying the comment was a joke.

“Suffice it to say, disaster response is no joke,” Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, said at the time. “If you don’t know what or when hurricane season is, you’re not qualified to run FEMA. Get someone knowledgeable there.”

Richardson was specifically criticized for his handling of the massive July floods in central Texas that killed more than 130 people, including dozens of children and counselors at Camp Mystic. FEMA, which had suffered layoffs and resource cuts during the Trump administration, was slow to respond to the crisis and deploy desperately needed search and rescue teams.

The acting chief was virtually unreachable at the time and only appeared a week later for an unannounced visit to the flood zone. He defended his inaction before Congress, calling it a “model of how to respond to a disaster.”

According to CNN, senior DHS leaders, frustrated by Richardson’s communication failures, have limited his responsibilities in recent months, with plans to officially remove him when hurricane season ends this month.

Trump Administration Created FEMA Review Boardled by Noem, which is expected to release a report at the end of hurricane season, recommending important changes to the agency. DHS said the restructuring suggestions will transform FEMA “from its current form to a streamlined, mission-focused disaster response force.”