The Trump administration revealed its intention to relocate the FBI headquarters from the deteriorating J. Edgar Hoover Building to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, located near the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
The Ronald Reagan Building, which previously housed the now-closed U.S. Agency for International Development and currently accommodates the U.S. Customs and Border Protection headquarters, private tenants, a public food court, and an event space for weddings, is set to become the new home of the FBI.
Details regarding the timing of the move, security arrangements for FBI operations, and potential disruptions were not immediately available; however, reports indicated that some agency personnel might be transferred as soon as Labor Day.
The decision has intensified regional tensions over the allocation of federal resources among Washington, Northern Virginia, and Maryland. While D.C. leaders celebrated the FBI’s decision to remain in the city, suburban officials expressed disbelief that President Donald Trump revoked a long-anticipated economic opportunity for their areas.
The move aligns with the FBI’s objective to decrease its presence in the D.C. region by reallocating employees elsewhere. In a press release, the General Services Administration (GSA) presented the relocation as a pragmatic approach to avoid $300 million in deferred maintenance on the aging Hoover Building and “billions” in costs associated with constructing a new campus in Maryland’s Prince George’s County, as previously planned.
“The existing FBI headquarters at the Hoover Building exemplifies a government facility burdened by years of neglect, suffering from issues such as an outdated water system and deteriorating concrete,” stated GSA acting administrator Stephen Ehikian.
In a published interview, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who leads the subcommittee overseeing FBI appropriations, indicated that this week the Trump administration formally requested to reallocate $555 million that had already been appropriated for the new FBI campus in Greenbelt, Maryland, to instead cover the move to the Reagan Building.
“I will oppose any funding to relocate the FBI headquarters to any facility other than Greenbelt,” Van Hollen asserted, calling the choice of a suburban Maryland site the outcome of a “lengthy process” that was designed to meet the security and operational needs of the FBI — requirements he believes the accessible Reagan Building fails to fulfill.
For years, both Maryland and Virginia have vied for the new headquarters, which promises substantial economic development, and local leaders reacted with dismay to this week’s decision.
FBI Director Kash Patel described the relocation as “a historic moment” that would provide a “safer environment for our agents of justice.”
He explained that relocating to the Ronald Reagan Building is the most cost-effective means to fulfill the FBI’s mission of protecting the American public and upholding the Constitution.
The Reagan Building is intended to serve as the FBI’s permanent headquarters, with plans to accommodate 3,500 to 4,000 personnel. Renowned for its large atrium and expansive office and retail spaces, the Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, is among the largest federally owned properties in the region, second only to the Pentagon.
This relocation places the FBI just steps away from the Justice Department, its parent agency, and aligns with existing routines where FBI and Justice Department leaders convene in a secure facility at DOJ headquarters to discuss national security threats.
Previously, the GSA had focused on relocating the FBI’s headquarters outside the District to a more secure and spacious complex, reminiscent of the CIA’s facility in Langley, Virginia, or the NSA’s in Fort Meade, Maryland. In a competitive selection process, three sites — a pair in Maryland and one in Virginia — were identified as finalists.
A majority of Maryland’s Democratic congressional delegation, including both Sens. Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Gov. Wes Moore (D), released a joint statement declaring their commitment to opposing this proposal using all available means.
“Simply moving down the street would ignore the real threats the Bureau faces and further jeopardize the safety of those protecting our communities,” the lawmakers asserted.
Conversely, D.C. leaders welcomed the news, particularly as concerns mount regarding the potential migration of federal buildings out of the city, which could exacerbate the office vacancy rate downtown.
“We need the FBI headquarters to remain here in D.C.,” said Council member Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), who represents the downtown area.
