A federal judge in Maryland blocked a plan by the Trump administration to move the FBI headquarters to the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., deeming it "arbitrary and capricious" and in violation of federal law. The state of Maryland had sued the FBI and its director, Kash Patel, over allegations that the Trump administration had unlawfully diverted $323 million in funding meant for a relocation to Greenbelt, Maryland. U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang sided with Maryland, ruling against the plan to relocate to the Reagan Building. The decision clears the path for the planned move to Greenbelt, which was originally announced by the Biden administration in 2023.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
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Story summary
A federal judge has blocked a plan by the Trump administration to move the FBI headquarters from Washington D.C. to the Ronald Reagan Building, after the Biden administration had previously announced a plan in 2023 to move the headquarters to Greenbelt, Maryland. The decision comes after the state of Maryland sued the Trump administration, alleging that they attempted to "unlawfully sabotage" the original plan and divert over $323 million in funding designated by Congress for the project. U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang ruled that the Trump administration's actions were "arbitrary and capricious and not in accordance with law," siding with Maryland. The FBI has been headquartered in downtown Washington at the J. Edgar Hoover Building since 1975, but it has faced structural problems for the last 2 decades.
Written for “DC FBI Headquarters Plan” on 2026-08-31,
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Leaning score -0.60 for article 1075 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-26
A federal judge in Maryland blocked the Trump administration's plan to relocate the FBI's proposed headquarters to the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., after the Biden administration had announced a plan in 2023 to move the headquarters to Greenbelt, Maryland.
asserted
administration → block → Greenbelt
In July 2025, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the bureau would instead relocate a few blocks away, stating that the Reagan Building offered "the most cost-effective and resource-efficient way to carry out our mission."
Last November, the state of Maryland sued Patel and the bureau, alleging that the Trump administration had attempted to "unlawfully sabotage" the 2023 plan and illegally divert funding that Congress had designated for the plan — over $323 million — away from it.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang sided with Maryland, writing in a 47-page opinion that the Trump administration's move to divert the funding and cancel the plan was "arbitrary and capricious and not in accordance with law," in addition to other violations of federal law.
asserted
move → announce → law
The FBI has been headquartered in downtown Washington at the J. Edgar Hoover Building since 1975, but structural problems have plagued it for the last 20 years.
asserted
problems → headquarter → years
Last year, the Trump administration and the General Services Administration settled on the Reagan Building, which had been home to the U.S. Agency for International Development until 2025, when the Trump administration consolidated USAID into the State Department and
to take over the building's lease.
asserted
administration → settle → lease
President Trump has criticized the move, calling Maryland a "liberal state" in a speech at the Justice Department last year.
asserted
Trump → criticize → Department
During his first term, Mr. Trump had contemplated moving the FBI, but he abandoned a plan that would have moved it to one of three locations in Maryland or Virginia.
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that → contemplate → Maryland
He proposed a smaller headquarters in Washington to replace the Hoover building.
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He → propose → building
But the GSA, during the Biden administration, chose the Greenbelt site, ending a 15-year debate on whether the headquarters should be relocated.
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headquarters → choose → debate
In a statement, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown said, "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.
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County → say → dollars
By blocking the Trump Administration's unlawful attempt to move the FBI to the Reagan Building and divert the funds Congress set aside for this project, the Court has cleared the path back to Greenbelt.
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Court → block → Greenbelt
"
"This is not the first time courts have tried to undermine the administration in its goal to make government more cost-effective for American taxpayers," an FBI spokesperson told CBS News in a statement.
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spokesperson → try → statement
"The court has chosen to impermissibly intervene for political reasons.
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court → choose → reasons
This FBI is mission focused and will continue the best course of action to meet the needs of law enforcement."
asserted
FBI → focus → enforcement
