As RedState reported, FBI co-deputy director Andrew Bailey announced Monday that he was stepping down from his role to spend more time with his family in Missouri, where he previously served as the Show-Me State’s 44th attorney general.
Advertisement
“I want to thank President Trump, @AGToddBlanche, and @FBIDirectorKash for the opportunity to serve in the FBI. Under President Trump’s leadership, we have delivered historic results in our mission to Make America Safe Again,” Bailey wrote on X, also sharing that “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.”
Almost immediately, The Usual Suspects in the mainstream press sprang into action, suggesting that the real reason for Bailey’s departure was related to agency divisions and disagreement at the Washington Field Office (WFO) regarding personnel decisions.
The FBI’s Rapid Response unit quickly pushed back, calling any such suggestion “fake news”:
This is false. Full stop.
Andrew Bailey told the workforce he is leaving for family reasons. And the claim that he was “annoyed” over recent personnel moves at WFO is also false — he supported those moves.
This is clickbait dressed up as reporting.
Fake news. https://t.co/l8jYSiYtvJ
— FBI Rapid Response (@FBI_Response) September 28, 2026
Bailey himself has since responded accordingly by calling any suggestion that this was about him being “annoyed” with Patel and his leadership nothing but “lies”:
“This was 100% about my need to get home and raise my four small children,” Bailey told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. “I love my kids.”
[…]
“Any accusation that Director Patel has focused on anything other than fulfilling the president’s promise to make America safe again are bold-faced lies,” Bailey said. “We wake up every day and work early every morning and stay up late, oftentimes without sleep, to ensure mission accomplishment.”
Recommended
Advertisement
Among what Bailey called the “transformative” changes made at the FBI under Patel’s direction and the successful missions Bailey told Fox News Digital that the agency has undertaken, he also observed that “we’ve done so much to push resources out of headquarters back to the field where they can maximize their impact.” He added:
Bailey alleged that the FBI had previously been “weaponized” against Trump and his family and said Patel wanted to return it to its core mission of protecting Americans and upholding the Constitution.
“That is going to anger those sacred guardians of the status quo,” Bailey said.
Bailey’s first day at the FBI was September 8, 2025. His last day will be Friday, October 2. He says he plans to return to an as-yet-to-be-determined public service role sometime in the future.
Editor’s Note: The mainstream media continues to gaslight, spin, and lie about President Trump, his administration, and conservatives.
Help us continue to expose their left-wing bias by reading news you can trust. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.