FBI looking to move training from Virginia to Alabama: reports

Kash Patel announces FBI leaving DC headquarters

The FBI is leaving its longtime headquarters in D.C. and will transfer 1,500 employees to locations around the country, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.

WASHINGTON - The FBI is considering moving its National Academy from its historic home in Quantico, Virginia, to Huntsville, Alabama, according to multiple reports and agency officials.

What we know:

The National Academy is a prestigious 10-week program that trains U.S. and international law enforcement leaders.

The move is part of a larger federal effort to expand operations at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville and reduce the FBI’s footprint in the Washington, D.C., area. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is reportedly leading the relocation push under the Trump administration’s broader decentralization strategy, according to The Washington Post. 

FBI Director Christopher Wray has previously cited Huntsville’s distance from the capital as a safeguard against potential attacks or disruptions, noting the value of building a strong base of operations outside D.C.

Still, the proposal has drawn pushback from some within the bureau.

Critics question whether Huntsville could match the training capabilities of Quantico without significant new investment. The Quantico campus recently received upgrades, and opponents argue there is little justification for the potentially costly move.

The FBI confirmed the relocation is under discussion but emphasized that no final decision has been made.

What's next:

The proposal specifically concerns the National Academy. Other parts of the Quantico complex, including the FBI’s training program for new hires and its Laboratory Division, would remain at the Virginia site.

Meanwhile, senior FBI official Kash Patel has said the agency could shift up to 1,500 staff and agents out of its downtown D.C. headquarters to field offices across the country as part of the overall relocation strategy.

What they're saying:

Virginia officials have expressed alarm about the potential local economic impact. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) called for closer congressional oversight. 

"This move raises serious questions, starting with why such a relocation is even necessary, and at what cost?" he asked.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a written statement, "Quantico remains the best place to train America’s FBI. I am speaking with leadership at the FBI and DOJ to make sure Quantico remains the centerpiece of FBI training now and in the future

Del. Candi Mundon King (D-Prince William) said she was not informed of the proposal in advance. 

"These are jobs we are losing, which impacts our local economy," she said, adding that significant downsizing of the FBI’s presence would be "devastating to the community."

The Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Abigail Spanberger, who represented the 7th District in Congress, which includes Quantico in an exclusive interview with FOX 5's Jim Lokay, "There has to be a point in time where the Governor of Virginia, and every elected official at every level in Virginia says, enough is enough....you cannot just upend our own security by just summarily choosing that you want to move the FBI Academy."