FBI director announces permanent closure of Washington headquarters
Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel has announced the decision to permanently close the agency's historic headquarters in Washington, DC. This is the J. Edgar Hoover Building, built in 1975 on Pennsylvania Avenue, which has long been criticised for its dilapidated condition and inadequate security and operational requirements.
After more than 20 years of unsuccessful attempts to reform or replace the facility, the FBI has finalised a plan to move employees to the building formerly occupied by the US Agency for International Development, Patel said. The move to the Ronald Reagan Building and the International Trade Centre is expected to save taxpayer money and provide the agency with modern infrastructure near the Department of Justice, the White House and other key federal agencies.
The decision comes as a blow to Maryland, which had been promised a new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt in 2023 after a lengthy site selection process and funding by Congress. The state government has already filed a lawsuit to block the cancellation of this project. The General Administration Service previously explained the choice of Greenbelt as the lowest cost for the budget, convenient transport links and a predictable implementation timeframe.
Sam Patel has repeatedly supported the position of President Donald Trump, who opposed the preservation of the Hoover Building. Earlier, he publicly stated that he would close the facility and turn it into a museum, symbolising a break with the past model of intelligence services.
Photo: The FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover building in Washington. Photographer: Eric Lee/Getty Images
