The Trump administration has selected the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, D.C., as the new headquarters for the FBI, replacing the aging J. Edgar Hoover Building. This marks a major reversal of the earlier plan to relocate the agency to Greenbelt, Maryland. The abrupt change, made despite years of bipartisan planning and over $800 million in appropriations, has drawn fierce political backlash.
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HQ Shift to Reagan
The FBI announced Monday it will relocate to the Ronald Reagan Building, formerly home to the U.S. Agency for International Development, situated just down the street from its current headquarters. The move keeps the FBI in the heart of D.C., ending a decade-long debate over suburban relocation.
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Hoover Building Deteriorating
The J. Edgar Hoover Building has suffered significant wear over the years. GSA Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian said it “has accumulated years of deferred maintenance, suffering from an aging water system, to concrete falling off the structure.” Officials estimate repairs would cost $300 million.
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Cost-Effective Move
GSA Public Buildings Service Commissioner Michael Peters said new construction would have cost billions. FBI Director Kash Patel cited financial prudence, emphasizing the agency’s need to adapt after the White House proposed cutting its budget by half a billion dollars.
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Trump Blocks Greenbelt
The relocation to Greenbelt, Maryland, had been finalized in 2023 following more than a decade of analysis. The GSA previously declared Greenbelt as the most cost-efficient, accessible and timely site. Trump, however, halted the plan, redirecting already-appropriated funds toward the D.C. option.
Maryland Officials Outraged
“Not only was this decision final, the Congress appropriated funds specifically for the purpose of the new, consolidated campus to be built in Maryland,” said a joint statement from Maryland’s Democratic congressional delegation. They accused the administration of “undermining Congressional intent.”
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Virginia Calls It A Punt
Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner criticized the decision, saying in a joint statement it was “a hasty action, not a plan, but a punt.” They emphasized the missed opportunity for long-term infrastructure and economic development in the region.
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D.C. Backs Headquarters Stay
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development welcomed the news, stating the FBI “belongs in D.C.” The Reagan Building already houses multiple federal tenants, including Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Commerce.
