DHS Says FEMA Chief Was Joking About Hurricane Season Awareness

Calling the anonymously sourced reports ’meanspirited attempts to falsely frame a joke as policy,‘ the agency said ’FEMA is laser focused on disaster response.’

A FEMA worker attends a claim by a local resident affected by floods following Hurricane Helene, in Marion, N.C., on Oct. 5, 2024. Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Tuesday that the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was joking when he remarked that he didn’t know that the United States has a hurricane season.

Multiple media reports that cited anonymous sources claimed that FEMA Acting Administrator David Richardson made the comment during a meeting with staff.