FBI leadership seeks to move National Academy from Virginia to Alabama, drawing internal and political criticism

FBI leadership seeks to move National Academy from Virginia to Alabama

FBI leadership is pushing to relocate the bureau’s National Academy from Quantico, Virginia, to Huntsville, Alabama, as part of a broader Trump administration effort to shrink the FBI’s presence in the Washington area and expand operations at its Redstone Arsenal campus, the Washington Post reported.

Multiple people familiar with the discussions told The Washington Post that FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is championing the plan, which has yet to be publicly announced. The proposed move has sparked concerns inside the bureau and among Virginia lawmakers, who question the rationale and potential costs of uprooting a key law enforcement training program.

Relocating a signature training program

The National Academy is a prestigious 10-week training programme for local, federal, and international law enforcement officers with leadership potential. It is distinct from the FBI’s internal training for new agents, which, along with other critical functions like the FBI Laboratory, would remain at Quantico under the current plan.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed the bureau is exploring relocation proposals to optimize facilities and reduce costs but provided no further details.

Critics within the FBI argue that Quantico’s recently upgraded training facilities are superior to those available in Huntsville, which would require significant new funding to match current capabilities. Some see the move as politically motivated and lacking a sound operational basis.

Controversial leadership changes

The push to relocate the academy comes amid sweeping leadership and structural changes at the FBI under the Trump administration. President Trump appointed Kash Patel, a longtime ally and former National Security Council staffer, to lead the bureau, followed by Bongino—an ex-Secret Service agent and conservative media figure—as deputy director.

Both men had previously criticized the FBI as corrupt and in need of reform. Since taking office, they have pushed out numerous senior leaders and redirected bureau resources toward immigration enforcement and other administration priorities.

Internal tensions appear to be rising. FBI Assistant Director of the Training Division Brian Dugan, who oversaw the National Academy, was recently pushed to retire, according to people familiar with internal discussions. It remains unclear whether his departure was directly tied to the relocation proposal.

Strategic shift to Huntsville

The FBI’s Redstone Arsenal campus in Huntsville has been a focal point of the bureau’s recent expansion. Under former Director Christopher Wray, Redstone became home to the FBI’s cyber and technology innovation hub and offered a secure backup operational base outside Washington.

Bongino and Patel now aim to relocate up to 1,500 staff and agents from FBI headquarters to satellite offices nationwide, with about 500 earmarked for Huntsville.

While the Trump administration argues that decentralizing FBI operations reduces national security risks, Virginia lawmakers and local officials warn of damaging impacts on the Quantico area and question the necessity of moving the National Academy.

Political backlash

Virginia state delegate Candi Mundon King called the move potentially “devastating” for the local economy. Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Congress should scrutinize the plan closely.

“This move raises serious questions, starting with why such a relocation is even necessary, and at what cost?” Warner said in a statement. “Quantico is co-located with other critical FBI and national security assets, and before we spend taxpayer dollars on a disruptive and potentially unnecessary move, the Bureau owes Congress and the American people a clear justification for this plan.”

As the Trump administration presses ahead with its reshaping of the FBI, the fate of the National Academy—and the broader implications for the bureau’s structure—will likely remain a source of internal and political debate.