Kash Patel says FBI 'permanently' closing Hoover Building, its longtime agency headquarters

WASHINGTON, DC: FBI Director Kash Patel announced on Friday, December 26, that the J. Edgar Hoover Building will be permanently closed. The building has served as the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for decades, making it one of Washington’s most iconic federal facilities.

Patel confirmed that the bureau will relocate operations to the Ronald Reagan Building, marking a major shift in how and where the FBI conducts its work.

Kash Patel announces permanent closure of Hoover Building 

On December 26, Patel shared details about the future of the J. Edgar Hoover Building, emphasizing that the headquarters will no longer be used. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter:

"Shutting down the Hoover Building. After more than 20 years of failed attempts, we finalized a plan to permanently close the FBI’s Hoover headquarters and move the workforce into a safe, modern facility. Working directly with President Trump and Congress, we accomplished what no one else could."

Patel noted that earlier proposals to build a new headquarters would have cost nearly $5 billion and not been completed until 2035. By moving to an existing building, the FBI saves billions and can start the transition immediately, with required safety and infrastructure upgrades already underway.

FBI operations to move into Ronald Reagan Building

The Ronald Reagan Building, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, will now house the FBI workforce. Patel explained:

"Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain."

He added that the move allows the bureau to focus resources on national security, combating violent crime, and strengthening field operations.

The Reagan Building is home to multiple federal agencies, including Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Commerce, and the Environmental Protection Agency. It also contains office space for non-governmental organizations and previously housed the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Kash Patel’s prior criticism of Hoover Building

Before becoming FBI Director under President Donald Trump, Patel had openly criticized the Hoover Building. In a 2023 podcast appearance, he suggested shutting it down immediately and converting it into a “Deep State museum.”

"I’d shut down the FBI Hoover Building on day one…and reopen it next day as a museum of the Deep State," Patel said. He argued that thousands of employees stationed there should instead be deployed across the country to fight crime directly.