FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey Resigns

Andrew Bailey is resigning as FBI co-deputy director after about a year at the bureau, ending a tenure in a newly created role alongside its traditional No. 2 official. The former Missouri attorney general said Monday that he was leaving to return to his family.

Bailey’s resignation takes effect Oct. 2, CBS News reported, citing multiple sources. He joined the FBI in September 2025, when the bureau created the co-deputy director position for him to serve alongside then-Deputy Director Dan Bongino. The post had previously been held by a career FBI staffer and had never been split between two people, according to CBS News.

In a social media post, Bailey thanked President Donald Trump, Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel for the opportunity to serve. “With great pride in what we have accomplished, I am announcing that I am stepping down to return to my family in Missouri,” he wrote. He added that he was confident Patel would continue to reform the FBI, combat violent crime and restore public trust. Patel thanked Bailey in a post for “his fantastic contribution instituting critical reforms,” CBS News reported.

Bailey was brought into the bureau to help ease reported tensions between former Attorney General Pam Bondi and Bongino, according to CBS News. Bongino later left the FBI; CBS News reported that he departed in January. NBC News reported that Bongino returned to podcasting after just under a year at the bureau.

The co-deputy structure remained after Bongino’s departure. Chris Raia, a career FBI special agent and former head of the bureau’s New York City field office, is the other co-deputy director.

Bailey’s relationship with Patel was troubled from the start, CBS News reported, citing two people familiar with their interactions. Bailey was initially left out of meetings, the people said. One said Patel instructed staff to call him director, Bongino deputy director and Bailey co-deputy director. The sources said Patel continued to exclude Bailey from meetings they believed he should attend because Bailey repeatedly raised constitutional concerns.

His departure also follows the demotion of two agents who oversaw counterterrorism at the FBI’s Washington field office, according to CBS News. The outlet reported that White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller and his wife, Katie Miller, had complained that the bureau was not doing enough to investigate alleged threats against them. Two people familiar with the matter told CBS News the Millers had not asked for anyone to be fired, but FBI officials chose to reassign personnel.

CBS News said the FBI and White House had not responded to its requests for comment on Bailey’s resignation. NBC News said the FBI referred its request for comment to Bailey’s social media post.