Resignation announcement

FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey announced on 28 September 2026 that he is stepping down from his post after serving just over a year in federal law enforcement leadership. Bailey posted on social media that he is leaving the bureau to return to his family in Missouri, where he previously served as the state attorney general. His departure takes place approximately five weeks before the United States congressional elections. Bailey joined the agency in August 2025 without prior career experience inside the federal investigative service. In his departure message, Bailey expressed confidence in the continuing leadership of the agency under FBI Director Kash Patel.

“I am confident Director Patel will continue to reform the FBI, combat violent crime, defend the homeland, ensure strong organizational accountability, and restore public trust in this institution of excellence.”

Leadership structure and disputes

Bailey's appointment formed part of an unconventional executive structure under President Donald Trump. For decades, the FBI operated with a single deputy director who rose through the career ranks to oversee daily law enforcement operations for the agency's 35,000 employees. Trump altered that framework by introducing two co-deputy directors, pairing Bailey with former Secret Service agent and podcaster Dan Bongino. When Bongino resigned at the end of 2025 to return to his media work, veteran FBI agent Christopher Raia was appointed to the leadership team in January 2026. Patel and Bailey had a difficult working relationship and frequently went long periods without speaking. Patel excluded Bailey from key operational meetings after Bailey repeatedly criticized internal agency proposals as unconstitutional.

Election inquiries and agency friction

During his tenure, Bailey helped manage federal inquiries into state voter rolls and voting procedures across several jurisdictions. He was present in January 2026 when federal agents executed a search warrant at the primary election facility in Fulton County, Georgia, seizing ballots from the 2020 presidential election. The FBI's reviews of state registration rolls yielded no evidence of fraudulent voting. The bureau's leadership had previously experienced internal discord involving the Department of Justice over the release of investigative files connected to Jeffrey Epstein. Those disputes led to friction between agency leaders and former Attorney General Pam Bondi, whom Trump dismissed in April 2026, while Patel faced public scrutiny regarding his management and personal conduct.

Succession and departmental reactions

Following Bailey's public resignation, Patel acknowledged his colleague's dedicated work and credited him with implementing structural reforms across the organization. Attorney General Todd Blanche also commended Bailey for his federal service and stated that the Department of Justice would maintain its current operational focus. United States officials have not indicated whether the administration will appoint a replacement co-deputy or permit Raia to serve as the agency's sole deputy director. Raia brings 22 years of experience as an FBI agent and manager into the role, leaving the bureau's command team with one deputy director heading into the autumn legislative elections.