The FBI is officially leaving its iconic J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C., citing concerns about the safety of its workforce.
FBI Director Kash Patel revealed the agency will relocate staff away from the capital region, although a new headquarters location has not yet been announced, as the Daily Caller reports.
In a clip airing Friday on Fox Business, Patel unexpectedly announced the federal law enforcement agency will be leaving its longtime base at the J. Edgar Hoover Building. The clip came from an interview with host Maria Bartiromo, with the full segment scheduled for release on Sunday.
Patel described the current headquarters as unfit for FBI personnel, calling it unsafe. He emphasized that employees of the FBI should expect a workplace that reflects the prestige of serving in what he referred to as the world’s premier law enforcement agency. “This FBI is leaving the Hoover building,” Patel said during the interview. “This building is unsafe for our workforce.”
Following Patel’s announcement, Deputy Director Dan Bongino responded by saying, “You just gave up a big nugget there! -- expressing surprise at the seriousness of the statement. The announcement had not been prepared in advance, suggesting it was a candid revelation by the newly appointed FBI chief.
Patel expanded on the motivation behind the move. He noted that the current facility falls short of representing an institution of the FBI’s scale and importance. “If you are going to come work at the premier law enforcement agency in the world,” he said, “we are going to give you a building that is commensurate with that -- and that is not this place.”
The FBI has operated from the J. Edgar Hoover Building since 1974. It was named after the agency’s first director, and President Richard Nixon officially dedicated the site just two days following Hoover’s death in 1972.
No new facility has been identified yet to replace the current headquarters. However, Patel confirmed that various FBI employees currently based in Washington, D.C., will be reassigned to offices across the country. “Look, the FBI is 38,000 when we are fully manned, which we are not,” Patel said, referring to the agency’s staffing levels. He said the D.C. metropolitan area, defined as within 50 miles of the capital, currently houses 11,000 FBI workers. He argued that having this many personnel stationed in one place does not reflect the true geographic spread of criminal activity across the nation.
As part of the agency’s new direction, Patel announced that at least 1,500 of those employees will be relocated to other areas. He did not offer a projected timeline for these reassignments but indicated that change was already underway.
Patel’s views on decentralizing the FBI are not new. In a 2024 interview on the Shawn Ryan Show, he expressed his intent to close the current D.C. facility and transform it into what he called a “museum of the ‘deep state.’” He also floated a more aggressive reorganization during that appearance. “I’d take the 7,000 employees who work in that building and send them across America to chase down criminals,” he said at the time. While that figure differs from the current plan, it aligns with a broader desire to redistribute FBI personnel throughout the country.
During the Fox Business interview, Patel did not elaborate on whether those earlier ideas specifically influenced the latest decision. Still, his comments signal that a nationwide restructuring of the FBI's presence remains a priority.
The J. Edgar Hoover Building has not undergone a full-scale renovation in decades. Numerous reports over the years have described the aging structure as inefficient and in need of major upgrades.
While no specific building defects were cited during Patel’s announcement, the use of the term “unsafe” suggests internal reviews may have identified issues that hinder daily operations or create potential hazards for employees. There were no immediate reactions from congressional leaders or local D.C. officials regarding the announcement. The full interview, expected to air Sunday, may provide added details about the rationale and future plans.
For now, the lack of a confirmed new headquarters keeps several logistical questions unresolved, including where the core administrative operations will reside. Patel provided assurance that the agency remains committed to its mission while working through the transition. It is also unclear whether the move will involve only staff from the central office or include changes to other federal law enforcement facilities currently located in or near the capital.
As the relocation plan develops, this marks one of the most significant shifts in the physical structure of the FBI in over 50 years. Future updates are expected as leadership identifies next steps and a permanent site for the bureau’s base of operations.
