Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Lt. General Russel Honoré joins historian Douglas Brinkley, author of The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, for a compelling discussion about crisis leadership and federal disaster response. Honoré was appointed commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, coordinating military relief efforts in the affected Gulf Coast areas. His decisive actions and no-nonsense approach were credited with turning around the situation in New Orleans and earned him the nickname “Category 5 General.” Brinkley and Honoré examine decision-making under pressure, government preparedness and lessons for future emergency management—particularly relevant amid recent discussions about FEMA’s role and structure under the current administration.
Lt. General Russel Honoré joins historian Douglas Brinkley, author of The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, for a compelling discussion about crisis leadership and federal disaster response. Honoré was appointed commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, coordinating military relief efforts in the affected Gulf Coast areas. His decisive actions and no-nonsense approach were credited with turning around the situation in New Orleans and earned him the nickname “Category 5 General.” Brinkley and Honoré examine decision-making under pressure, government preparedness and lessons for future emergency management—particularly relevant amid recent discussions about FEMA’s role and structure under the current administration.
