This article is part of MACo’s Policy Deep Dive series, where expert policy analysts explore and explain the top county policy issues of the day. Read all of MACo’s Policy Deep Dives.

A years-long effort to bring the FBI’s new headquarters to Prince George’s County has reached a turning point, one that could redefine Maryland’s relationship with federal partners and the future of regional economic development.

The Short Version

The State of Maryland and Prince George’s County are suing the Trump administration for abandoning the Prince George’s site for the new FBI headquarters and redirecting funding to Washington, DC.

State leaders claim that the federal government violated the 2022 law governing site selection and disregarded a completed process that favored Prince George’s on the grounds of cost, security, and equity. The outcome will determine the fate of billions in planned investment and thousands of regional jobs.

From Promise to Reversal

As previously reported on Conduit Street, in November 2023, the General Services Administration selected the Greenbelt Metro site in Prince George’s County as the new location for the FBI headquarters. The agency cited taxpayer savings, Metro access, construction certainty, and alignment with the FBI’s mission needs.

That decision capped more than a decade of bipartisan advocacy. Maryland’s congressional delegation, Governor Wes Moore, and local leaders argued that Prince George’s County offers both a strategic location and an opportunity to deliver meaningful economic benefits to a majority-Black community that the federal government has long overlooked in siting decisions.

Plans called for a 62-acre campus adjacent to the Greenbelt Metro Station, designed to house 11,000 FBI employees. The State committed to transportation improvements and site support, while counties anticipated long-term commercial growth and tax base expansion around the project.

Earlier this year, the administration rejected the plan. The president signaled a preference to keep the FBI close to the Justice Department and called Maryland “a liberal state.” Federal agencies then began redirecting funds to the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, DC.

Maryland and Prince George’s Take Action

Attorney General Anthony Brown and Prince George’s County filed the lawsuit on Thursday, November 6, in federal court. The case challenges the administration’s July decision to abandon the lawfully selected Greenbelt site and divert more than $1 billion in congressionally approved funding to the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC.

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

Governor Wes Moore called the move both illegal and illogical. “The problem with the current FBI building is that it’s too old, too small, and too exposed,” Moore said. “So what does the president do? He moves the FBI to another building that is too old, too small, and too exposed.”

Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said the issue is about fairness and opportunity. “Landing a federal agency like the FBI has always been a catalyst for major economic development. It was true when the NIH was located in Bethesda and when the Pentagon went to Northern Virginia. We want that same opportunity in Prince George’s County—and we earned it,” said Braveboy.

Maryland’s lawsuit asserts that the administration violated clear congressional direction limiting site selection to the three suburban locations and failed to consult with Maryland as required by federal law. The filing also argues that the administration’s actions deprived the State and county of significant economic benefits, jobs, and development opportunities.

MACo’s Support for the Prince George’s Site

MACo supports locating the new FBI headquarters in Prince George’s County and continues to advocate for the Greenbelt site as the most strategic, cost-effective, and equitable option. In a 2023 letter to the General Services Administration, MACo outlined Maryland’s advantages — a skilled workforce, unmatched access to transportation and academic institutions, and a strong commitment to sustainability and smart growth.

The letter emphasized that Maryland’s proposal delivers the project faster and at a lower cost to taxpayers, with the State committing more than $200 million toward construction. County leaders emphasized that Prince George’s County’s transit-oriented development strategy aligns with federal goals for efficient, walkable, and sustainable growth.

MACo reaffirmed that Maryland’s local governments stand ready to support a modern, consolidated headquarters that strengthens the FBI’s mission and advances shared economic and security goals. Counties view the Prince George’s County site as a proven example of how local planning, infrastructure investment, and federal partnership can deliver meaningful results for residents and the nation.

National Context and Political Tension

The reversal fits into a broader national debate over the use of federal property and the relocation of agencies.

Republicans in Congress favor repurposing existing buildings rather than building new facilities, citing cost. Democrats, including Maryland’s delegation, view the switch as a political maneuver that disregards equity, law, and regional planning.

What Happens Next

Maryland and Prince George’s County filed the suit in federal court, requesting immediate relief to halt the transfer of appropriated funds. The court will now determine whether to block the administration from redirecting the money and require the General Services Administration to justify its reversal through a new administrative record.

Congress could still intervene through appropriations language that reaffirms the Prince George’s decision, although that would require bipartisan agreement. If the court does not act quickly, the project could advance in DC while litigation continues, further eroding the feasibility of a Maryland build.

MACo will continue tracking the case, as the outcome will influence regional transportation planning, economic development expectations, and the distribution of significant federal employment across the Washington metropolitan area.

Bottom Line

Maryland’s fight to locate the FBI headquarters in Prince George’s County is about more than location. It tests whether federal agencies must honor Congress’s lawful processes and whether Congress’s stated intent holds when administrations change.

The result will shape billions in local investment, Maryland’s economic outlook, and the balance between politics and policy in federal siting decisions.

MACo will continue to monitor developments, analyze potential local impacts, and provide updates as the case progresses.

Stay tuned to Conduit Street for more information.