FBI to Permanently Close Hoover Building, Relocate Headquarters to Reagan Building

FBI Director Kash Patel announced Friday that the agency will permanently shut down its historic headquarters, the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C., marking a major shift in the bureau’s long-discussed relocation strategy. According to Patel, the FBI has finalized plans to move its headquarters workforce to the Ronald Reagan Building, ending decades of stalled efforts to replace the aging facility.

In a statement shared on X, Patel said the decision comes after more than 20 years of failed attempts to address the deteriorating condition of the Hoover Building. He described the structure as outdated and no longer suitable for the operational and security needs of a modern federal law enforcement agency. The new plan, he said, focuses on relocating employees to a “safe, modern facility” without the delays and escalating costs associated with building a new headquarters from the ground up.

Patel emphasized that the move was made in direct coordination with President Donald Trump and members of Congress, claiming the administration succeeded where previous efforts fell short. Under earlier proposals, the FBI was expected to spend nearly $5 billion on constructing a new headquarters, a project that would not have been completed until at least 2035. By contrast, the current plan repurposes the existing Reagan Building, significantly reducing costs for taxpayers.

The Reagan Building previously housed the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has since been dissolved. Patel confirmed that safety enhancements and infrastructure upgrades at the facility are already underway to accommodate the FBI’s needs. Once renovations are complete, the majority of FBI headquarters staff will relocate to the Reagan Building.

In addition to the headquarters move, Patel noted that some personnel will be reassigned to field offices across the country as part of a broader strategy to expand the FBI’s presence beyond Washington, D.C. He said this redistribution of staff will strengthen the agency’s ability to combat violent crime, protect national security, and respond more effectively to threats nationwide.

Patel concluded that permanently closing the Hoover Building and relocating to the Reagan Building allows the FBI to modernize its operations, improve workforce safety, and deliver better tools for agents and staff, all while achieving these goals at a fraction of the previously projected cost.