FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey resigns after year in leadership post
FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey has announced his resignation after approximately one year in office, leaving the federal law enforcement agency a little more than a month before the midterm elections.
Leadership departure at the FBI
FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey announced his resignation on Monday, stepping down after approximately one year in the position. Bailey, a Republican ally of President Donald Trump and the former attorney general of Missouri, stated in an email to bureau employees and on social media that he is leaving to spend time with his family in Missouri. His exit removes the agency's second-ranking official just over a month before the upcoming midterm elections. FBI Director Kash Patel praised Bailey following the announcement, citing his contributions to administrative reforms at the bureau. Bailey released a statement outlining his confidence in the future direction of the law enforcement agency under Patel.
With great pride in what we have accomplished, I am announcing that I am stepping down to return to my family in Missouri. 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.
Election investigations and Georgia operation
During his tenure, Bailey helped oversee the FBI's election-related investigations and election security efforts. He was in charge of the federal operation in January that targeted the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center in Georgia, where FBI agents seized physical ballots and records tied to the 2020 presidential election. Bailey had publicly supported claims regarding the 2020 election outcome before joining federal law enforcement. His tenure coincided with a wave of dismissals and reassignments affecting experienced personnel across multiple bureau divisions.
Dual-deputy leadership structure
Bailey was appointed in late 2025 under an uncommon dual-leadership arrangement alongside conservative commentator and former Secret Service officer Dan Bongino. Neither Bailey nor Bongino possessed prior operational experience within the FBI prior to their appointments to the deputy director post, a position that manages day-to-day bureau operations and does not require Senate confirmation. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi had supported Bailey's appointment, with staff viewing him as a potential successor to lead the bureau if relations between Trump and Patel deteriorated. Bongino announced his resignation in December 2025 to return to podcasting, following disagreements regarding the handling of investigative files connected to Jeffrey Epstein, after which career FBI official Christopher Raia assumed the co-deputy position. Bondi left her post as attorney general in April 2026.
- Andrew Bailey and Dan Bongino are appointed as FBI co-deputy directors under Director Kash Patel.
- Dan Bongino announces his departure from the FBI to resume podcasting.
- FBI agents search the Fulton County Election Hub in Georgia and seize 2020 ballots under Bailey's oversight.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi departs her role heading the Justice Department.
- Andrew Bailey announces his resignation as FBI co-deputy director.
Prior legal record in Missouri
Before entering the FBI, Bailey served as Missouri's attorney general, resigning that state office in September 2025 to take up his federal post. In Missouri, Bailey, a military veteran, led high-profile state lawsuits aligned with Trump's policy platform. His state legal actions included a lawsuit against Starbucks over corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, legal challenges against local sanctuary city policies, and opposition to transgender medical care rules. Bailey's resignation is the latest departure among senior leadership installed at the agency under the Trump administration.
