BALTIMORE, MD – Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and Prince George’s County filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Trump administration, accusing it of unlawfully abandoning plans for a new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt and diverting more than $1 billion in federal funding to Washington, D.C.
The suit challenges a July decision by federal officials to replace the congressionally approved Greenbelt site with the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington.
State officials say the administration’s move defies federal law, ignores a decade of bipartisan planning, and undermines commitments to Maryland communities that invested heavily in the project.
Key Points
- Maryland and Prince George’s County filed suit to stop the Trump administration from abandoning the Greenbelt FBI project.
- The lawsuit claims the administration illegally redirected over $1 billion in congressionally approved funds.
- Officials argue the Reagan Building decision violates federal law and harms Maryland’s economic interests.
State leaders call move unlawful
Attorney General Brown said the Greenbelt site was selected through a “fair and transparent process” spanning more than a decade. He argued that federal officials have “ignored the law” and jeopardized a project meant to deliver a purpose-built headquarters for the FBI.
“Maryland earned the new FBI headquarters through a fair process that identified Greenbelt as the best site for security and mission needs,” Brown said. “We will not allow this administration to take away what Prince George’s County rightfully earned.”
Governor Wes Moore also condemned the decision, calling the relocation “reckless” and saying it would place federal law enforcement in a less secure and less suitable facility.
Economic impact at stake
Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy said the lawsuit represents a stand for fairness and economic opportunity. “Landing a federal agency like the FBI can transform a community,” she said. “We earned this project and we intend to see it through.”
Maryland and Prince George’s County previously committed more than $300 million in infrastructure investments to support the new headquarters, including transportation and parking improvements. Officials said those investments were based on federal assurances that Greenbelt had been lawfully selected.
Congressional backing
Members of Maryland’s congressional delegation voiced support for the lawsuit, citing years of bipartisan cooperation that led to the Greenbelt selection. Senator Angela Alsobrooks said the administration’s reversal “compromises national security” by forcing the FBI into an aging facility.
Congressman Steny Hoyer called the move an “open defiance of Congress,” while Congressman Glenn Ivey said Maryland’s delegation “stands squarely behind” the legal challenge.
Lawsuit seeks to block diversion of funds
The complaint, filed in federal court, asks judges to halt the administration’s plan to use congressionally appropriated funds for the Ronald Reagan Building, arguing it violates explicit statutory limits on site selection.
State and county officials said the decision also deprives Maryland of major economic and job opportunities promised by the Greenbelt project.
The lawsuit seeks to prevent the funding diversion, restore the Greenbelt selection, and require federal agencies to comply with Congressional directives.
