What hurricane season? FEMA chief flusters staffers by appearing not to know about peak storm period
The acting head of FEMA left staffers flummoxed after he appeared not to know that the United States had a hurricane season.
David Richardson, who has led the federal disaster response agency since May, seemed unaware of the peak storm period that runs between June 1 and Nov. 30. His remarks to that effect came during a Monday morning all-hands meeting, per a report from Reuters. The FEMA head's seeming ignorance comes after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a busier-than-usual hurricane season.
Sources familiar with the meeting who spoke to CBS News said that it was unclear whether or not Richardson was actually uninformed about hurricane season. Some speculated that Richardson was making a joke that didn't go over well. Either way, the remark was disheartening for employees of the agency that has long been in President Donald Trump's crosshairs.
Richardson's fumbling did little to inspire confidence in the man with zero disaster management experience. The former Marine offered a terse message to staffers at the start of his tenure, warning them not to "get in [his] way."
The president has repeatedly floated the idea of terminating federal disaster relief altogether and leaving states to pick up the pieces after hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires. Richardson told staffers he would carry out whatever Trump asked with single-minded intensity.
"I will run right over you," he said. "I will achieve the president's intent."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
State Department shifts $250 million from refugee aid to 'self-deportations'
By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. State Department has moved $250 million to the Department of Homeland Security for voluntary deportations by migrants without legal status, a spokesperson said, an unprecedented repurposing of funds that have been used to aid refugees uprooted by war and natural disasters. The money has been transferred "to provide a free flight home and an exit bonus to encourage and assist illegal aliens to voluntarily depart the United States," the State Department spokesperson told Reuters. Historically, those funds have been used "to provide protection to vulnerable people" overseas and to resettle refugees in the U.S., said Elizabeth Campbell, a former deputy assistant secretary of state. The re-routing of the money comes as President Donald Trump pushes to reshape U.S. government agencies to serve his 'America First' agenda. The State Department's planned reorganization explicitly states that the agency's refugee bureau now largely will focus on efforts to 'return illegal aliens to their country of origin or legal status.' The funds came from Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) overseen by the Bureau of Population, Refugee and Migration. Its website says its mission is to "reduce illegal immigration," aid people "fleeing persecution, crisis or violence and seek durable solutions for forcibly displaced people." Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, citing the law authorizing the funding, said in a May 7 Federal Register notice that underwriting the repatriation of people without legal status will bolster the "foreign policy interests" of the U.S. He did not mention the $250 million transfer to DHS. The DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump's administration is working to speed up deportations in a crackdown that the Republican president vowed during the 2024 campaign would expel millions of people illegally in the U.S. It has encouraged migrants to leave voluntarily by threatening steep fines and deporting migrants to notorious prisons in Guantanamo Bay and El Salvador. But the volume of deportations since he took office in January appears to be less than those overseen by his predecessor Joe Biden in the February-May period of 2024, about 200,000 people versus 257,000. On May 9, Trump announced Project Homecoming, an initiative overseen by DHS that offers $1,000 stipends and travel assistance to migrants who "self-deport." DHS said in a May 19 news release that 64 people had "opted to self deport" to Honduras and Colombia on a charter flight under the program. Some experts said that while legal, sending the money to DHS for deportation operations was an unprecedented use of MRA funds. The main purpose of the funds historically has been "to provide refugee and displacement assistance, refugee processing and resettlement to the U.S., and respond to urgent and emerging humanitarian crises - not to return those very people to the harm or persecution they fled,' said Meredith Owen Edwards, senior director of Policy and Advocacy at the Refugee Council USA.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Ukraine's war will be won by soldiers, not speeches
In the old days, you turned on the television to get the news. If the antenna was properly connected, a presenter would deliver what the editors wanted you to hear. Things have changed. Today, modern TVs let us switch quickly between bulletins, letting us cross-examine the news. Then there are mobile phones, tablets, laptops and dozens of social networks filled with statements from world leaders, analysts and bloggers. So, do we really understand the true background of political confrontations any better than we did during the Vietnam War or the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan? Are the motives of presidents and prime ministers more transparent? How much can we trust the public words or social media posts of world leaders? They're often contradictory and inconsistent — politicians seem to forget what they said yesterday and rarely consider what they'll say tomorrow. At least, that's how it looks from Ukraine. Just days before Russia's full-scale invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied any plans to attack. In October 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called negotiations with Russia 'impossible'; by this May, he was waiting in Turkey for peace talks with Putin that never happened. Donald Trump dismissed his campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours as an 'exaggeration' and 'said in jest.' Such behavior from politicians has become the norm. The European Union and United Kingdom issued theatrical warnings of tougher sanctions against Russia but mostly focused their 17th package on targeting 200 vessels from Moscow's so-called 'shadow fleet.' I stopped reading official statements long ago — they lose meaning before reaching the media. But I had hoped personal talks might carry weight. That's why I awaited the Zelenskyy-Putin meeting in Istanbul and the Trump-Putin call. After a while, news broke that Trump had spoken with Putin. What did they talk about? Reuters reported: peace in Ukraine. Period. Trump called the tone 'excellent' and suggested the Pope as host. Putin muttered about a 'possible memorandum' and 'principles' of settlement. No dates, no names, no clauses — just fog. That's when I realized I wouldn't look to leaders' speeches to understand when this war will end. Before and after their talk, the front lines remained unchanged. Ukrainian defenders repel furious Russian attacks, losing lives but holding their spirit. Air raids continue. Russia recently launched its largest drone attack yet: 273 drones in one night. For some time, Kyiv was quiet — a small miracle in the middle of the war. Early in the morning, well-rested and unusually relaxed, I saw a lone soldier hauling backpacks. He looked like he'd been carrying war on his back. I offered to help him, and he accepted. As we loaded his things into the matte, gray-green pickup truck, I asked how things were, and he said simply, 'Bad. Bloody bad. But we'll win.' His certainty stood in stark contrast to the endless political speculation by pundits reacting to Trump, Putin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz or U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Or, should I say, it stays. Analysts discuss in chorus, speculating endlessly — but can anyone see the full picture? Is there space for that soldier's quiet 'we'll win'? Putin's position hasn't changed: He demands Russia's right to Crimea and four Ukrainian regions, insisting Ukraine enshrine annexations constitutionally. No negotiation without that. Washington has no leverage. Zelensky, boxed in by Trump's biased arbitration, must accept capitulation — or not. But even if he wanted to, most Ukrainians would reject such a deal. The nation might let go of Crimea and Donbas, lost earlier, but yielding newly occupied regions is a red line. That's why Trump's negotiations are dead on arrival. Pressuring Zelensky is futile. Trump won't or can't pressure Putin. Trump's threat to cut military aid won't change Ukraine's course. The country won't surrender or collapse; it will bleed more, adding to the 'millions of people dead' Trump claims to mourn. A Ukrainian defeat would devastate Ukraine and deal a fatal blow to Trump's credibility. Speculation that Trump might convince Europe to abandon Zelensky is hollow. Europe, left to fend for itself, stands firm, preparing to turn Ukraine into a fortress — a 'steel hedgehog' that no enemy can digest, as Ursula von der Leyen once said. Neither Britain, France, Germany, nor any major power will step back. The war goes on. America's modest arms deliveries continue; Europe slowly scales up military support. The status quo is locked. Russia lacks the strength to break through; Ukraine can't afford to retreat. Trump cannot abandon either side, not after his loud declarations. This deadlock will hold unless one side gains overwhelming strength. Many analysts say time favors Russia: more manpower, weapons and economy. But Ukrainian soldiers see it differently: 'We'll win.' Why do I believe them, despite logic, exhaustion and despair? Because their conviction echoes the resolve of most Ukrainians, including me. We have no right to capitulate. Too many refuse to live ashamed of losing this war. It began as a fierce defense of our land against brutal aggression. It has become a test of endurance, demanding every last reserve of strength, costing hundreds of thousands of lives. It cannot end in disgrace, surrendered ground and raised hands. That's what Trump and Putin don't understand. They see Zelensky as a stubborn obstacle but don't see the millions behind him ready to fight until the enemy bleeds out. With or without Western support, this disgraceful ending will not happen in Ukraine. Kyiv didn't fall in two weeks in 2022 — not because Putin's tanks got 'stuck in the mud,' as Trump says, but because of Ukrainian strategy and heroism. Peace didn't come in 24 hours, didn't come from Istanbul negotiations and won't come from phone calls between Washington and Moscow. The war won't end because the White House calls it a 'bloodbath' or the Kremlin says 'Russia is for a peaceful settlement.' War's winners and losers are decided on the battlefield. More than three years in, what do we see? Russia, which Trump falsely called '20 times' the size of Ukraine, spends months taking yards of ground, littering the soil with corpses. Yes, numbers matter, but conviction matters more. There was unwavering conviction in that soldier's words. That's why I believe him and not politicians who imagine they hold all the cards. The battlefield is not a gaming table. The real winner will wear military camouflage, sweaty and bloody, with the yellow and blue emblem of Ukraine, existing as long as soldiers believe in victory. Sergey Maidukov is a Ukrainian author with a particular focus on cultural and political dynamics in post-Soviet space.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump Cuts Send FEMA Into 'Unheard of' Chaos During Crucial Time
Chaos in the White House is preventing federal disaster relief from reaching its recipients, sparking fears that the government may face more delays and lapses during the upcoming hurricane season. The Trump administration issued millions of dollars in relief to Virginia in early April after the state was battered by severe winter storms, but in doing so, the West Wing failed to alert a key player responsible for actually distributing the relief: the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Unidentified FEMA officials told CNN Wednesday that they only knew of the order thanks to newspaper headlines. Direct and official communication from the White House, according to the sources, did not reach FEMA for another four days. That left Old Dominion communities waiting an extra week for direly needed assistance. Officials at FEMA claim that this is just one instance in a troubling pattern of miscommunication between the disaster relief agency and the Trump administration. Typically, FEMA advises the White House as to which sites around the nation require federal assistance. That's been true for practically every other administration, as well as Donald Trump's first term. But since the MAGA leader has returned to the Oval Office, that relationship has been flipped. 'This is more than just who gets to tell who,' one longtime FEMA official told CNN. 'There are regulatory timelines, especially for individual assistance, that are in play, and these delays do affect the delivery of assistance. It is very frustrating to the state and local partners because they think we should be doing things, but without the paperwork we cannot execute on the declaration.' A similar slipup happened in early May, when the Trump administration failed to notify FEMA officials that it had reversed course on Arkansas's aid request, approving distribution to the state. That stalled the process for an additional five days. 'A five-day lag is unheard of, as it prevents FEMA from fulfilling its statutory roles,' another longtime FEMA official told CNN. 'It feels like a way to make it look like FEMA is being slow when we're not yet authorized to act.' Exactly who receives FEMA aid—and when they receive it—is no longer a guarantee under Trump's direction. In April, FEMA rejected North Carolina's application for an emergency aid extension as the state grappled with recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene, a Category Four storm that killed 250 people in September. It was the deadliest hurricane in state history. Even Trump's voting base has been left in the lurch. Months into his presidency, residents of devastated communities are still begging the president to send relief. Since Helene, Trump and his allies have spread unfounded conspiracies that the lead response agency had run out of money, and that the Biden administration had diverted funds from FEMA to assist undocumented immigrants enter the country. (FEMA administrators have fervently and repeatedly denied this.) Conservatives, at the time of the storm, claimed that working with the Biden White House to expedite disaster relief 'seemed political' and even conspiratorially suggested that the hurricanes were a government manipulation. Days after his inauguration, Trump pitched that it would be better to do away with FEMA altogether in favor of handing the money directly to the states, though that plan never seemed to gain traction. Since then, Trump has actively worked to dismantle the agency. The administration has blocked states across the nation, including California and Michigan, from accessing pre-approved relief. A coalition of Democratic-led states have sued the federal government, claiming that 'hundreds of millions of dollars in FEMA grants' are still inaccessible.
