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FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the bureau will vacate its longstanding headquarters at the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C., relocating approximately 1,500 employees to various locations across the country.
Patel cited safety concerns with the aging structure, including the risk of falling concrete, as a primary reason for the move. He emphasized the need to provide a safe and suitable working environment for the agency’s personnel.
“This FBI is leaving the [J. Edgar] Hoover Building because this building is unsafe for our workforce,” Patel told Fox Business Network anchor Maria Bartiromo in an interview set to air on Fox News Channel’s Sunday Morning Futures. “We want the American men and women to know if you’re going to come work at the premier law enforcement agency in the world, we’re going to give you a building that’s commensurate with that, and that’s not this place.”
He added that the decision aims to decentralize the workforce, noting that a significant concentration of FBI agents is currently based in the D.C. area, despite not all major crimes occurring there. The relocation plan includes transferring personnel to field offices nationwide, with every state expected to receive additional agents. While specific destinations have not been disclosed, Patel mentioned that the transition would occur over the next three to nine months. He expressed hope that this move would inspire more individuals to join the FBI.
The decision to leave the Hoover Building comes amid longstanding criticisms of the facility’s appearance and structural condition. President Trump had previously expressed a desire to replace the brutalist-style edifice and blocked a Biden-era plan to relocate the headquarters to Greenbelt, Maryland, due to concerns over the integrity of the site selection process.
As the FBI prepares for this massive transition, discussions continue regarding the future location of its headquarters. Further details about the new headquarters location and the specific field offices receiving additional personnel are expected to be announced in the coming months.
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