Mr Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), has become the focal point of anger over the Bush Administration’s handling of Katrina’s aftermath.

Critics have seized on his lack of management experience -- his most senior role before leading the agency was a controversial nine-year stint running the International Arabian Horse Association – and decisions taken in the immediate aftermath of the storm hitting land.

Tonight Mr Brown's immediate boss, the Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff, ordered the Fema chief back to Washington and put Vice Admiral Thad Allen, US Coast Guard Chief, in charge of operations on the ground.

“I have directed Mike Brown to return to administering Fema nationally.

"Mike Brown has done everything he possible could to meet the challenges posed by the hurricane," Mr Chertoff told a press conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

He was joined at the briefing by Mr Brown, but Mr Chertoff refused to let the Fema director address a question on whether this was a first step towards his resignation.

But in an interview with the Associated Press tonight, Mr Brown denied that he had been demoted. "No. No. I’m still the director of Fema," he told AP. Asked if he was being made a scapegoat for a federal relief effort, he said after a long pause: “By the press, yes. By the President, no.”

"I’m going to go home and walk my dog and hug my wife and, maybe, get a good Mexican meal and a stiff margarita and a full night’s sleep. And then I’m going to go right back to Fema and continue to do all I can to help these victims," Mr Brown added.

"This story’s not about me. This story’s about the worst disaster in the history of our country that stretched every government to its limit and not we have to help these victims. That’s all I’ve wanted to do."

In Washington, the US Government's response to Katrina at all levels was lambasted by Colin Powell, the former Secretary of State who has been talked of as a possible leader of the recovery effort.“Not enough was done” before or after the storm hit, he told ABC News.“ And I just don’t know why.”

President Bush had so far resisted calls to sack Mr Brown – most notably from Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Senator from New York – but revelations in Time magazine today seem to have made his position as operational chief untenable.

Only a week ago Mr Bush publicly applauded his efforts, saying: “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job. The Fema Director is working 24 -- they’re working 24 hours a day.”

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