Andrew Bailey Announces his Return to Missouri

Andrew Bailey is stepping down as FBI co-deputy director, announcing Monday that he will leave the bureau and return to his family in Missouri.

Bailey, who served as Missouri’s attorney general from 2023 to 2025, joined the FBI last year after leaving the state’s top legal office to become co-deputy director under FBI Director Kash Patel. His resignation will take effect Oct. 2.

In announcing his departure, Bailey thanked President Donald Trump, Attorney General Todd Blanche and Patel for the opportunity to serve.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we have delivered historic results in our mission to Make America Safe Again,” Bailey said.

Bailey said he was leaving with “great pride” in what the bureau had accomplished during his tenure and was returning to Missouri to be with his family.

During his year at the FBI, Bailey became one of the bureau’s more visible figures on violent crime, including through high-profile operations in his home state.

One of the most significant was Operation VIPER, a two-week federal initiative targeting violent crime across the St. Louis region that resulted in 91 arrests, 36 firearms seized and roughly $310,000 in cash recovered.

The April 20-May 1 operation brought together the FBI and law enforcement agencies in St. Louis, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County. Authorities said the effort focused on violent crime reduction, fugitive apprehension and removing armed offenders from the streets.

Authorities also seized approximately 600 grams of cocaine, one kilogram of methamphetamine and one kilogram of fentanyl, along with three vehicles. Six of those arrested were facing potential deportation proceedings.

“By getting the very worst of the worst offenders off the street in the spring, we hope to maintain the forward progress that we’ve enjoyed in the fight against violent crime,” Bailey said while announcing the operation’s results.

The FBI worked alongside local agencies, including the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team, on arrests involving suspects accused of crimes including armed carjacking, first-degree assault and armed robbery.

The operation drew praise from Missouri officials, including Gov. Mike Kehoe and U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who highlighted the cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement.

Bailey’s work at the FBI also took him beyond Missouri.

He recently traveled to Argentina and Guatemala, meeting with senior government, intelligence and law enforcement officials as the bureau worked to strengthen international cooperation and address terrorist and criminal networks before they could threaten the United States.

He also used his position to advocate for greater cooperation among law enforcement agencies. During an address to members of the FBI National Academy Associates in Canada, Bailey discussed attacks and threats against police officers and called for law enforcement agencies to stand together in responding to them.

Bailey brought that message back to Missouri during an address to the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police, where he discussed challenges facing officers, evolving threats against law enforcement and the importance of cooperation among federal, state and local agencies.

He also highlighted the FBI’s 2025 Reported Crimes in the Nation report, which provided a nationwide look at crime trends. The bureau said the data showed crime continuing to move in a positive direction and pointed to partnerships between federal, state and local agencies as an important part of those efforts.

Bailey’s path to the FBI’s senior leadership began with a rapid rise through Missouri politics.

Gov. Mike Parson appointed Bailey attorney general in 2022 after Eric Schmitt was elected to the U.S. Senate. Bailey had previously served as Parson’s general counsel and had never held elected office.

He went on to face a competitive Republican primary in 2024, defeating Trump attorney Will Scharf 63% to 37% to secure the GOP nomination.

Bailey then won the November general election, receiving 61.4%, compared with Democrat Elad Gross’ 38%.

The roughly 22-point victory was the largest margin among Missouri’s statewide candidates in the 2024 election, exceeding President Donald Trump’s margin in the state.

The win gave Bailey his first full elected term as attorney general after less than two years in office and further elevated his profile nationally.

He would later leave the attorney general’s office to take a leadership position at the FBI, becoming one of the highest-ranking Missourians in the Trump administration’s law enforcement apparatus.

Now, after roughly a year at the bureau, Bailey is returning to Missouri.