After a little more than a year serving as the Federal Bureau of Investigation's co-deputy director, former Attorney General Andrew Bailey is stepping down and returning to Missouri, according to Bailey's social media.
"Under President Trump’s leadership, we have delivered historic results in our mission to Make America Safe Again. With great pride in what we have accomplished, I am announcing that I am stepping down to return to my family in Missouri," Bailey wrote in a Sept. 28 post on X. "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."
In August 2025, Bailey announced his resignation from the attorney general position to serve as co-deputy director, first alongside Dan Bongino and then Christopher Raia. Catherine Hanaway was appointed by Gov. Mike Kehoe as Bailey's successor.
It's not currently clear whether another person will be appointed as co-deputy director or if Raia will serve as the FBI's sole deputy director.
According to reporting from the New York Times, people familiar with the inner workings of the agency said Bailey and Raia had "a rocky arrangement" with FBI Director Kash Patel, and that Patel and Bailey often went long stretches without speaking to each other.
However, following Bailey's X post, Patel responded on his own account:
"I want to thank Andrew Bailey for his dedicated service to return the FBI to its core mission and fulfill President Trump's promise to make America safe again. 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," Patel wrote in the Sept. 28 post. "Andrew's leadership at the FBI will be missed but we are grateful he answered the call to serve! Thanks Andrew for your tremendous dedication to the mission of this FBI."
In January, Bailey was present as FBI agents searched an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, for records related to the 2020 election.
Bailey is the second Missourian to step down from a federal position during the Trump administration. In August 2025, former U.S. Rep. Billy Long stepped down as IRS commissioner after less than two months to serve as ambassador to Iceland.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Former Missouri AG Andrew Bailey steps down from FBI leadership
