FEMA Employees Face Leave After Open Letter Criticizing Leadership
In a recent development, about 180 employees of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were placed on administrative leave following their decision to sign an open letter expressing concerns about the agency’s leadership, reports 24brussels.
The letter, sent to Congress and other officials on Monday, highlighted the inexperience of FEMA’s current leadership and warned that their management approach risks catastrophic consequences reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history.
By Tuesday evening, FEMA’s administration issued notices to multiple employees informing them of their immediate leave, maintaining a “non-duty status while continuing to receive pay and benefits,” according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post.
The advocacy group Stand Up for Science condemned recent cuts and actions by the Trump administration, asserting that these changes threaten FEMA’s core mission, which was echoed in their publication of the letter titled “Katrina Declaration.”
“Since January 2025, FEMA has been under the leadership of individuals lacking legal qualifications, Senate approval, and the demonstrated background required of a FEMA Administrator,” the letter stated.
As of Tuesday, only 35 signatories had publicly identified themselves, though the letter noted that many others preferred to remain anonymous due to fears of retaliation fostered by the current administration’s culture. Jeremy Edwards, a former FEMA press secretary and a signatory, stressed that the volume of signatures signifies profound concern over the agency’s preparedness for crises.
“The fact that 180 people signed on to the letter, with a supermajority of them still working in the building, and dozens of those people wanted to attach their real names, signifies the severity of the problem. They are that scared of us being so inadequately unprepared. It speaks a lot to the situation right now,” Edwards told The Washington Post in an interview.
The situation at FEMA comes amid mounting pressure on its leadership to address significant operational weaknesses. With the hurricane season underway, the implications of these leadership issues could prove critical for disaster response capabilities in the United States.
