A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's plan to relocate FBI headquarters to Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Building, reaffirming Greenbelt, Maryland, as the designated site. U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang ruled that the FBI and General Services Administration's (GSA) decision to choose the Reagan Building was "not in accordance with law" and exceeded their statutory authority.
The court also found that the FBI's redirection of appropriated funds for the move was arbitrary and capricious. The FBI criticized the ruling, stating in a statement to Fox News that the court "has chosen to impermissibly intervene for political reasons" and that "[s]ycophants seeking to undermine the work of this FBI... will not deter us."
The decision marks the latest development in a decade-long effort to replace the J. Edgar Hoover Building, which has served as FBI headquarters since 1974. The existing building is described as obsolete, unable to accommodate all headquarters staff, and failing to meet current security standards.
In 2023, GSA selected Greenbelt, Maryland, after Congress directed the agency to consider three specific sites: Greenbelt, Landover, Maryland, and Springfield, Virginia. However, in July 2025, the FBI and GSA announced an alternative plan to move headquarters to the Reagan Building. Judge Chuang determined that these congressional site-selection directives precluded the agencies from unilaterally choosing a different location, as the Reagan Building was not among the three sites authorized by Congress. The judge indicated that Congress would need to amend the law for the administration to pursue a different site.
The ruling prevents the FBI from proceeding with the Reagan Building relocation and re-establishes Greenbelt, Maryland, as the approved site for the new headquarters.