A federal judge in Maryland has halted the Trump administration’s plan to move the FBI headquarters to the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. This decision follows the previous 2023 announcement by the Biden administration to relocate the headquarters to Greenbelt, Maryland.
FBI Director Kash Patel revealed in July 2025 that the Reagan Building was chosen based on cost-effectiveness and resource efficiency. Nevertheless, the state of Maryland challenged this move, filing a lawsuit against Patel and the FBI, claiming that the Trump administration unlawfully attempted to sabotage the original 2023 relocation plan and illegally diverted $323 million in funding designated by Congress.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang sided with Maryland, stating in a detailed opinion that the Trump administration’s actions were “arbitrary and capricious and not in accordance with law,” along with other legal violations.
Since 1975, the FBI has been based at the J. Edgar Hoover Building in downtown Washington, suffering from structural issues for two decades. Last year, the Trump administration selected the Reagan Building, previously occupied by the U.S. Agency for International Development until its operations were consolidated into the State Department, allowing Customs and Border Protection to take over the lease.
President Trump criticized the choice of Maryland, labeling it a “liberal state” in a Justice Department speech. During his first term, he entertained relocating the FBI to Maryland or Virginia but ultimately proposed a smaller headquarters in Washington.
The General Services Administration under Biden finalized the Greenbelt location, resolving a 15-year debate on the FBI headquarters’ relocation. Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, noting Maryland’s long-term commitment to hosting the headquarters, including substantial financial investments.
The FBI has yet to provide any comment following the ruling.