Andrew Bailey, a deputy director at the FBI, announced his departure from the bureau on Monday, stating he intended to return to his family in Missouri. Bailey, a former Missouri attorney general and self-described hardline conservative, had held the co-deputy director position for roughly one year.
Bailey was tasked with overseeing certain election-related investigations during his tenure, including a matter concerning 2020 ballots in Georgia. He was present in January when FBI agents executed a search warrant at an election office in Fulton County and obtained ballots and other materials from the 2020 presidential election. His departure comes amid broader personnel shifts at the FBI under Director Kash Patel.
Bailey initially served as co-deputy director alongside former deputy Dan Bongino beginning in September 2025. After Bongino departed in January, Bailey continued in the role alongside Christopher Raia, a former FBI special agent and New York field office official. The agency has not yet indicated whether another deputy director will be appointed to work alongside Raia.
According to reporting, Bailey and Raia maintained a somewhat strained relationship with Patel and had extended periods without direct communication. However, Bailey’s public announcement attributed his exit solely to family considerations. Director Patel acknowledged Bailey’s departure in a statement, crediting him with contributing to “critical reforms” and describing his leadership as a valued addition to the bureau, though he said Bailey’s absence would be felt.
Bailey’s resignation is part of a larger wave of personnel movements at the FBI since Patel assumed leadership. Career agents have departed under various circumstances, with some reportedly forced out over concerns about political bias and others voluntarily leaving due to concerns about potential retaliation or disagreement with assigned duties.
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