An official from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, said he meant the comment as a joke.

Federal Emergency Management Agency faces scrutiny. This is due to concerns about its readiness for the upcoming hurricane season. Acting Administrato ...

FEMA's new chief David Richardson left staff confused after saying during a briefing that he didn’t know the US had a hurricane season, just one day after it officially began. While officials later ...

Acting FEMA Director David Richardson told staff in an all-hands meeting that he was unaware hurricane season had started, ...

FEMA faces turmoil as acting Administrator David Richardson, lacking disaster response experience, raises concerns with an apparent joke about hurricane season ignorance. This comes amidst staffing ...

A developing tropical cyclone is given a name when it reaches sustained winds of 39 mph, and it becomes a hurricane at 74 mph ...

David Richardson’s comment to staff that he was unaware the United States had a hurricane season was meant in jest, the Department of Homeland Security said.

FEMA head David Richardson told his staff during a briefing that he had not been aware US has a hurricane season, Reuters reported.

A spokesperson said that David Richardson, acting administrator of FEMA as of early May, was joking. During the briefing, staff weren't so sure.

In a meeting with FEMA staff, David Richardson said he was unaware the United States had a hurricane season. Two staff members said it was unclear if he was serious, but the agency said he was joking.

When you're in charge of the United States' disaster response agency, the bare minimum expectation is to be aware of natural disaster timelines—particularly something as routine as hurricane season.

President Donald Trump and his allies have repeatedly floated the idea of terminating the emergency disaster agency.