He wore blue jeans, rings on three fingers, cowboy boots and a straw planters hat.
Federal Emergency Management Agency leader David Richardson, making a rare public appearance, visited the site of deadly flash flooding in Texas in a trip that was neither announced nor promoted beyond five government photos on social media.
Richardson’s trip Saturday to Kerr County, Texas, where at least 132 people were killed, was his first known visit to a disaster site since President Donald Trump named him FEMA acting administrator May 8 after firing his first agency acting administrator.
The visit came amid ongoing questions about Richardson, a former Marine officer with a background in weapons of mass destruction and no apparent emergency management experience.
Richardson’s absence from the Texas disaster in the week after the catastrophic flooding drew criticism and concern that he was not in charge of FEMA’s response to one of the deadliest U.S. floods and had ceded the role to his boss, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She went to Texas the day after the flooding and spoke publicly.
During his trip to Kerr County, Richardson met with Texas Division of Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd, according to a photo the division posted on its LinkedIn account. Two other photos show Richardson meeting with emergency workers in what appears to be a FEMA command room in Kerrville, Texas, the Kerr County seat.
A fourth photo shows Richardson talking to a man wearing a yellow “Volunteer” T-shirt in a parking area outside 5,000-seat Tivy Antler Stadium, a high school sports stadium in Kerrville.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management did not respond to questions from POLITICO’s E&E News but posted a note next to its photos saying Richardson met with emergency responders “to see response & recovery efforts in action.”
FEMA posted a photo on its Facebook page showing Richardson in the same command room talking to a man whose broad shoulders and thick chest stretch his dark blue Texas A&M Task Force 1 jumpsuit.
FEMA also did not answer questions. Its Facebook page says Richardson “is on the ground in Central Texas Hill Country to survey the ongoing impacts of the recent Texas floods.”
Although the two agencies declined comment, Richardson’s attire spoke volumes.
FEMA leaders have routinely toured the most destructive disasters in well-publicized visits aimed at reassuring locals of federal support. The administrators project a ready-to-go image through their unofficial dress code — a collared shirt, fleece jacket or vest, or parka (depending on the weather) with the FEMA logo displayed prominently, and walking boots.
Richardson wore no such accoutrements. Nothing about his appearance said “FEMA,” literally or figuratively.
His cowboy boots were brown and worn. Thick metal rings adorned his two middle fingers and his left ring finger. AI identified the white hat he wore outdoors as a Dobbs San Juan Shantung Straw Planters Hat.
Richardson was spotted outside the command center Saturday by a CNN reporter and camera. A snippet shows reporter Julia Vargas Jones following Richardson around a parking area asking questions about FEMA’s response to the flooding.
Richardson ignored her.
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