A federal judge in Maryland has blocked the Trump administration’s plan to relocate the FBI headquarters to the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. This decision follows the Biden administration’s 2023 announcement to move the headquarters to Greenbelt, Maryland.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated in July 2025 that moving to the Reagan Building, located a few blocks away, was more cost-effective and resource-efficient. However, the state of Maryland filed a lawsuit last November against Patel and the FBI, accusing the Trump administration of unlawfully sabotaging the 2023 relocation plan and illegally diverting over $323 million in funding designated by Congress.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang ruled in favor of Maryland, declaring the diversion of funds and cancellation of the plan as “arbitrary and capricious” and contrary to federal law. The FBI has operated from the J. Edgar Hoover Building in downtown Washington since 1975, but has faced structural issues over the past 20 years.
The plan to move to the Reagan Building, which housed the U.S. Agency for International Development until 2025, was settled by the Trump administration and the General Services Administration. During his term, President Trump criticized Maryland in a speech at the Justice Department, labeling it a “liberal state.” Although he previously considered a relocation to Maryland or Virginia, he opted for a smaller headquarters in Washington to replace the Hoover Building.
The Greenbelt site was ultimately chosen by the General Services Administration during the Biden administration, resolving a 15-year debate over the FBI’s relocation. Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown applauded the decision, stating, “Maryland and Prince George’s County committed more than a decade of work to earn the FBI headquarters and pledged hundreds of millions of dollars.” The court’s ruling prevents the Trump administration from moving the FBI to the Reagan Building and clears the way for the Greenbelt relocation.
The FBI has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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