Former FEMA Director Says Trump Administration Has Abandoned Plan to Eliminate the Agency
Confirmed1 source · Sep 3, 2026
David Richardson worked to eliminate FEMA when he led the agency last year, and now says the administration has reversed course on that goal.
What happened
David Richardson, who previously worked to eliminate FEMA when he led the agency, stated that the Trump administration has abandoned its objective to dissolve the country's top disaster agency.
Context
The reversal represents a shift in the administration's approach to federal disaster management infrastructure. FEMA's elimination had been under consideration, but the stated change in policy suggests continued reliance on the agency's role in national disaster response and recovery operations.