A mockup of the proposed FBI HQ in Greenbelt.

By Zak Failla From Daily Voice

Maryland’s top law enforcement officer is taking on the Trump administration in a high-stakes legal fight over the future home of the FBI.

Attorney General Anthony Brown and Prince George’s County have filed a lawsuit to stop what they call an unlawful attempt to sabotage the new FBI headquarters project in Greenbelt, accusing the administration of trying to divert more than $1 billion in federal funds to DC.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, Nov. 6, challenges the Trump administration’s decision to abandon the Greenbelt site — chosen after a decade-long bipartisan process — in favor of the Ronald Reagan Building, which officials say violates explicit congressional instructions.

“Maryland earned the new FBI headquarters through a fair and transparent selection process that took more than 10 years,” Brown said. “Now, the Trump administration wants to undermine that process, ignore the law, and divert more than $1 billion meant for a purpose-built headquarters – redirecting it instead to a nearly 30-year-old building unfit to accommodate the Bureau."

"We will not let the Trump administration strip away what Prince George’s County won.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore also condemned the move.

“The problem with the current FBI building is that it’s too old, too small, and too exposed. So what does the President do? He moves the FBI to another building that is too old, too small, and too exposed. Trump’s actions aren’t just illegal; they lack common sense,” Moore said. 

“And his foolishness will put law enforcement in jeopardy. Greenbelt has been, and still is, the best home for the FBI.”

Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said the stakes go far beyond politics.

“Landing a federal agency like the FBI has been a catalyst for major economic development," she said. "It was true when the NIH was located in Bethesda, and true when the Pentagon went to Northern Virginia." 

“We want the same opportunity in Prince George’s County and in Maryland — and we earned it. This is a battle worth fighting for.”

Congress directed the General Services Administration (GSA) to select the FBI’s new headquarters from three suburban sites: Greenbelt, Landover, or Springfield, Virginia. 

In 2023, the GSA selected Greenbelt following what officials described as a rigorous, transparent evaluation process.

Despite that, the FBI and GSA announced in July 2025 that they would instead move the project to the Ronald Reagan Building — a nearly 30-year-old facility in downtown Washington that was never among the approved locations.

"Maryland and Prince George's County made extraordinary commitments to secure the FBI headquarters, including over $300 million for transportation infrastructure, parking facilities, and other improvements, based on the promise of high-paying jobs and the economic development the project was expected to bring," officials said.

The lawsuit accuses the Trump administration of violating federal law, ignoring congressional intent, and depriving Maryland of the economic benefits and thousands of jobs promised by the Greenbelt project.

“The FBI headquarters should be housed in a facility that meets the highest level of security for the men and women of our top law enforcement agency – full stop,” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks added. “Team Maryland will fight tooth and nail to ensure this administration follows the law.”

Congressman Steny Hoyer blasted the administration for “openly defying Congress, the law, and the Constitution,” while Congressman Glenn Ivey said Trump’s team “steamrolled the law and overturned a bipartisan, twelve-year process.”

Maryland and Prince George’s County are asking the court to block the Reagan Building move, stop the diversion of funds, and force the federal government to comply with congressional directives and federal law.

“With limited resources, we can’t fight every battle," Braveboy added. "But this is a battle worth fighting for."