WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 The new head of the federal agency tasked with responding to disasters across the country warned staff in a meeting Friday not to try to impede upcoming changes, saying that 鈥淚 will run right over you鈥 while also suggesting policy changes that would push more responsibilities to the states.
David Richardson, a former Marine Corps officer who served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa, of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Thursday just after Cameron Hamilton, who’d been leading the agency, also in an acting role, was fired.
Richardson has been the Department of Homeland Security鈥檚 assistant secretary for countering weapons of mass destruction. He does not appear to have any experience in managing natural disasters, but in an early morning call with the entire agency staff he said that the agency would stick to its mission and said he’d be the one interpreting any guidance from President Donald Trump.
Prefacing his comments with the words 鈥淣ow this is the tough part,鈥 Richardson said during the call with staffers across the thousands-strong agency that he understands people can be nervous during times of change. But he had a warning for those who might not like the changes 鈥 a group he estimated to be about 20% of any organization.
鈥淒on鈥檛 get in my way if you鈥檙e those 20% of the people,” he said. 鈥淚 know all the tricks.鈥
鈥淥bfuscation. Delay. Undermining. If you鈥檙e one of those 20% of the people and you think those tactics and techniques are going to help you, they will not because I will run right over you,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 will achieve the president鈥檚 intent. I am as bent on achieving the president鈥檚 intent as I was on making sure that I did my duty when I took my Marines to Iraq.鈥
He previewed what might be ahead
Richardson also reminded staff that FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security: 鈥淒on’t forget that.鈥
In a preview of what might be coming in terms of changes in policy, Richardson also said there would be more 鈥渃ost-sharing with the states.鈥
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to find out how to do things better, and we鈥檙e going find out how to push things down to the states that should be done at the state level. Also going to find out how we can do more cost sharing with the states,鈥 he said.
This issue 鈥 how much states, as opposed to the federal government, should pay for disaster recovery 鈥 has been a growing concern, especially at a time of an increasing number of that often require Congress to repeatedly replenish the federal fund that pays for recovery.
But states often argue that they are already paying for most disaster recoveries on their own and are only going to the federal government for those events truly outside of their ability to respond.
Richardson did not take questions from the staff members, saying he wanted them to first read memos he was going to be sending out later Friday. He planned a town hall next week, when he will take questions from the staff.
A ‘mission analysis鈥 is planned for FEMA
In the memos obtained by The Associated Press, Richardson told the agency it would be conducting a 鈥淢ission Analysis” of the organization to identify 鈥渞edundancies and inefficiencies” while also clarifying the organization’s 鈥渃ore鈥 mission and 鈥渄eterring mission creep.鈥
He also listed tasks to be accomplished in the coming weeks 鈥 including providing internal assessments of the agency’s preparedness for 2025; a list of all known gaps 鈥渋n preparedness or core capabilities”; a list of lessons learned from past disasters; and an overview of 鈥渄isaster aid before FEMA’s existence and the role of states and the federal government coordinating disaster management.鈥
He said he was honored to be in the role, leading an organization he described as an 鈥渦nwieldy beast.鈥
Richardson arrives at FEMA at a time of immense turmoil and as it prepares for , an extremely busy time for the agency.
Trump, a Republican, and providing money directly to states to manage. He has established a review council tasked with 鈥渞eforming and streamlining the nation鈥檚 emergency management and disaster response system.” The 13-member council is chaired by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Homeland Security has not said specifically why Hamilton was removed from his position. But his dismissal came one day after he appeared before a House subcommittee where he was asked about plans to eliminate FEMA and said he did not believe the agency should be eliminated.
鈥淗aving said that,鈥 Hamilton continued, 鈥淚鈥檓 not in a position to make decisions and impact outcomes on whether or not a determination such as consequential as that should be made. That is a conversation that should be had between the president of the United States and this governing body.鈥
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked Friday about Hamilton’s firing and suggested it was related to his congressional testimony, but didn’t specify exactly what it was that he said that led to his dismissal.
鈥淭his individual testified saying something that was contrary to what the president believes and the goals of this administration in regards to FEMA policy. So of course we want to makes sure that people in every position are advancing the administration鈥檚 goals,” she said.
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Associated Press writer Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this story.
