Resignation of FEMA's Key Disaster Coordination Leader Amid Agency Uncertainty

Individuals affected by wildfires in Pasadena, California, sought aid in 2025 at a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center. During this tumultuous time, the resignation of FEMA’s leading disaster coordination official comes as President Trump considers the agency’s dissolution.

Jeremy Greenberg, who had been steering FEMA's National Response Coordination Center since 2020, has stepped down from his position last week, as confirmed by NPR.

David Richardson is temporarily in charge after Greenberg, taking over after a series of resignations of over a dozen senior staff members following his appointment in May.

The departure of Greenberg adds pressure to FEMA during a peak period marked by severe weather incidents like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, exacerbated by climate change.

Operating similarly to air traffic control, the National Response Coordination Center orchestrates the response efforts during national emergencies, integrating resources and expertise from various federal, state, and local entities.

During Hurricane Helene's impact last year, Greenberg’s team actively coordinated evacuations and positioned resources prior to the storm, as highlighted by Deanne Criswell, then the FEMA administrator, during Congressional hearings.

The center managed strategic positions for employees and equipment, collaborated with agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Transportation, determined locations of emergency shelters, and deployed first responders.

Greenberg stated he would remain with FEMA for an additional two weeks but deferred further inquiries to the agency’s leadership, which has not named a new leader for the disaster coordination office post his exit.

With President Trump’s intention to potentially dismantle FEMA by December, he has instituted a council comprised of governors, cabinet members, and emergency management professionals tasked with proposing agency revisions by mid-November.