Federal judge blocks FBI headquarters move to Reagan Building

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's effort to relocate the FBI's headquarters to the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., ruling that the move violated laws governing the site selection process. The decision, issued on Monday, August 17, 2026, clears the way for the bureau's planned relocation to Greenbelt, Maryland, a project that has been the subject of a yearslong competition and significant federal investment.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang found that FBI Director Kash Patel and the General Services Administration broke the law when they selected the Reagan Building last year, a choice that sought to reverse a 2023 decision to build in Greenbelt. Judge Chuang wrote that their actions were "not in accordance with law and exceeded the statutory authority," and issued an order that fully erases the Reagan Building decision and forbids further action in that direction unless Congress provides explicit approval.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and officials from Prince George's County. They argued the administration's plan illegally diverted more than $300 million in congressional funding that had...