An Obama-appointed judge ruled against the Trump administration’s plan to move the FBI headquarters into the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C.

Fox News reported:

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang ruled Monday that the FBI and General Services Administration’s (GSA) decisions to select the Reagan Building were “not in accordance with law” and exceeded their statutory authority. The court also found the FBI’s decision to redirect previously appropriated funds toward the move was arbitrary and capricious.

This is not the first time courts have tried to undermine the administration in its goal to make government more cost-effective for American taxpayers. The court has chosen to impermissibly intervene for political reasons. This FBI is mission-focused and will continue the best… pic.twitter.com/CDHO85cLCD

— FBI Rapid Response (@FBI_Response) August 18, 2026

The FBI blasted the ruling in a statement to Fox News:

“This is not the first time courts have tried to undermine the administration in its goal to make government more cost-effective for American taxpayers. The court has chosen to impermissibly intervene for political reasons. This FBI is mission focused and will continue the best course of action to meet the needs of law enforcement. Sycophants seeking to undermine the work of this FBI, which has led the largest reduction in crime in American history under President Trump, will not deter us.”

 

The ruling bolsters the Biden administration’s plans to move FBI headquarters to a previously selected site in Greenbelt, Maryland.

🚨 INSANE: Another Obama Appointed Federal Judge Theodore D. Chang has BLOCKED The Trump Administrations plans to Relocate the FBI out of the Hoover Building…. they have zero authority.

This is a judicial coup pic.twitter.com/ArW2eV3taX

— J (@JayTC53) August 18, 2026

Plenty of X users saw red over the decision:

The FBI and all of its functions fall directly under the executive branch. Does this saboteur not believe in the separation of powers? Of course not, because no matter how long he’s been here, or even born here, he’s an unassimilated stranger in a strange land

— Vet II (@8wdbf428wg) August 19, 2026

This is not right. We should practice real separation of powers, this matter is between the executive and the legislative branch. The location of any executive office should not be job to judiciary review. The judge here is the one that is overstepping his authority.

— always truth (@Oswald524) August 19, 2026

He literally has no control over this.

It is a part of the executive branch in every way shape and form, the judicial branch has no say where the FBI HQ is located.

Clearly the judicial branch doesn’t care one iota about the separation of powers of the three branches.

— Michael D McCleary (@michaelmccleary) August 20, 2026

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.