WASHINGTON — Andrew Bailey, the FBI’s co-deputy director, said Monday that he is leaving the bureau for personal reasons after playing a prominent role in its efforts to combat violent crime and investigate election-related matters.
Bailey, a former Missouri attorney general, is returning to his home state just over a year after moving to Washington to join the federal government.
“I want to thank President Trump, @AGToddBlanche, and @FBIDirectorKash for the opportunity to serve in the FBI,” Bailey wrote in a statement shared on X.
He said the bureau had achieved “historic results” under President Trump while pursuing the administration’s goal of making the country safer. Bailey added that he was stepping aside with “great pride” in the work completed so far to reunite with his family in Missouri.
Bailey expressed confidence that FBI Director Kash Patel would continue efforts to reshape the agency, fight violent crime, protect the homeland, strengthen accountability and rebuild public confidence in the bureau.
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A source familiar with the matter told The Post that Bailey had found it difficult to adjust to life at the FBI and had struggled with the long distance separating him from his family in Missouri.
Patel thanked Bailey for his service and credited him with helping steer the FBI back toward its central mission and advance Trump’s pledge to reduce crime.
“Although Andrew is leaving the FBI in order to return to his family in Missouri, his fantastic contribution instituting critical reforms which resulted in our historic success will live on,” the bureau chief said.
Patel added that Bailey’s leadership would be missed, thanking him for answering the call to serve and for his commitment to the FBI’s mission.
Bailey entered the Trump administration in September 2025, roughly two months after reports indicated that then-FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino was considering resigning amid disputes over the Justice Department’s handling of investigations tied to Jeffrey Epstein.
Bailey nevertheless worked alongside Bongino for another four months. During that period, he oversaw a St. Louis violent-crime operation that resulted in more than 90 arrests, the confiscation of about 36 firearms and the recovery of $310,000 in assets believed to have been obtained illegally, according to the Missouri Times.
He was also present during the FBI’s search of an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, as part of an investigation connected to President Trump’s allegations of irregularities in the 2020 vote count.
Before joining the FBI, Bailey frequently challenged the Biden administration in court, bringing lawsuits over proposed student-loan forgiveness plans worth billions of dollars as well as federal environmental regulations.
