Maryland leaders began responding Monday to the federal court decision striking down the Trump administration’s attempt to move the FBI’s new headquarters from Greenbelt to the Ronald Reagan Building — a fight the state’s congressional delegation, governor, and local officials have been waging in public statements since the switch was formally announced in July 2025.
Attorney General Anthony Brown
Brown, whose office brought the suit on behalf of the state and Prince George’s County, framed the ruling as a separation-of-powers question as much as a real estate one:
“By blocking the Trump Administration’s unlawful attempt to move the FBI to the Reagan Building and divert the funds Congress set aside for this project, the Court has cleared the path back to Greenbelt. This victory is about more than a building. It is about ensuring that when Congress makes a decision, the Federal Government cannot simply ignore it because they do not like the outcome. Congress made a promise. The Trump Administration tried to break it. Now, the jobs, investment, and opportunity Marylanders deserve are within reach.”
Brown also released a video statement Monday evening.
“This victory is about more than a building.”
Senate President Bill Ferguson
Ferguson, who has backed the project since its 2023 selection, posted a statement calling the ruling a vindication of institutional limits on executive power:
“Today, a federal court demonstrated why checks and balances matter. The Trump Administration tried to ignore Congress, move the FBI headquarters away from the lawfully selected Greenbelt site, and redirect funds Congress had already set aside for the project. Today, a federal court stopped them. That is a win for Maryland, and a win for the rule of law.”
Ferguson thanked Brown “for his leadership in holding this Administration accountable and clearing the path for the FBI headquarters to move forward in Greenbelt.”
Governor Wes Moore
Moore’s office released a statement framing the win in blunter, more combative terms than either Brown or Ferguson:
“President Trump tried to take from Maryland what Maryland had already won. He failed. From the beginning, we said the decision to move the FBI headquarters to Greenbelt was final, earned, and the Trump Administration’s attempt to overturn it was illegal and wrong for our national security. Today, the court agreed. Maryland fought back—and Maryland won. I am grateful to all of Team Maryland – especially Congressman Steny Hoyer – who have worked tirelessly for decades to make this a reality. I am proud of this coalition for standing together and refusing to let this Administration play political games with the safety of our nation or the future of our state.”
“President Trump tried to take from Maryland what Maryland had already won. He failed.”
Moore closed by turning to what comes next: “Now it is time to stop the games and get to work building the world-class FBI headquarters that our public servants deserve, where it belongs: in Prince George’s County, Maryland.”
Notably, Moore singled out Hoyer by name for his decades of work on the project — the congressman has been involved in the FBI headquarters push since well before the 2023 site selection, including in his role as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, which oversees the GSA funding at issue in the case.
“Maryland fought back—and Maryland won.”
Maryland Delegation Members
A joint “Maryland Delegation Members’ Statement” was released Monday, posted through the offices of both Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), whose Fourth District includes the Greenbelt site itself, and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.):
“For years, Team Maryland has fought to bring the men and women of the FBI a headquarters that meets their mission and their needs. After a years-long, competitive, and transparent process, Greenbelt, Maryland, was selected as the site for that new headquarters, based on its merits – including its ability to provide a secure space for the Bureau while ensuring the cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars. The Trump Administration had no grounds to ignore this selection, or redirect even one penny that Congress specifically appropriated for construction of the competitively selected site. We’re glad to see the Court acknowledge this fact, ruling that the Trump Administration’s actions are unlawful and void. This is an important step forward for the rule of law. This process began in 2009, and it’s past time it was concluded.”
“This process began in 2009, and it’s past time it was concluded.”
The statement closed with a pointed message to the administration: “Hopefully, the Trump Administration will agree with the conclusion that the Congress, the General Services Administration, and the District Court have all found, which is that Greenbelt is the proper home of the FBI. We will not stop fighting to fulfill our promise to the men and women of the Bureau to deliver a new, secure headquarters in Maryland so they can do their work without compromising their safety or our national security.”
Hoyer also posted his own framing alongside the release: “After a years-long & competitive process, Greenbelt, MD, was selected as the site for the new FBI headquarters. Today, I’m glad the Court ruled to reaffirm that the Trump Admin’s actions to ignore this selection are unlawful & void. Team Maryland will keep fighting to deliver a new, secure headquarters in Maryland that meets the FBI’s mission and their needs.”
Maryland Matters reported the joint statement was signed by eight of the state’s nine-member congressional delegation.
Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy
Braveboy, who joined Brown and Moore at the November 2025 press conference announcing the lawsuit, gave separate comments to two D.C.-area outlets Monday. In a statement carried by FOX 5 DC, she emphasized the economic stakes for the county: “Today’s decision is fundamentally about jobs and opportunity for Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland. The FBI HQ project will be the single largest economic development project in the history of Prince George’s County. It is estimated to create over 7,500 jobs and add approximately $4 billion to the GDP of the County and State. If you look at the history of economic development in the Metro DC region, landing a major federal agency like the FBI has been the catalyst for significant economic development.”
“There is a rule of law, and everyone has to abide by that rule of law.”
Speaking on camera to WTOP, Braveboy framed the ruling in broader terms: “There is a rule of law, and everyone has to abide by that rule of law, and it applies to everyone at every stage and in every corner of our country, including the White House.”
Local reaction: Del. Nicole Williams
Reaction wasn’t confined to the state’s federal and statewide officials. Maryland Del. Nicole Williams (D-District 22), who chairs the Prince George’s County House Delegation and represents Greenbelt itself in Annapolis, posted on X: “This is the best news I have received all day. This is a win for Prince George’s County,” sharing a link to the Attorney General’s statement. Williams had entered the crowded Democratic primary to succeed Hoyer, who announced in January he would not seek reelection, but did not win the June 23 nomination — that went to state Del. Adrian Boafo.
Still to come
As of this writing, Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks — both of whom have issued statements at nearly every prior turn in this litigation, dating back to the 2023 site selection and continuing through the November 2025 lawsuit filing — had not released individual public comment on today’s ruling beyond the joint delegation statement. Given the pattern of this story, individual reactions from both would not be surprising in the coming hours. This piece will be updated as they come in.
Sources:Statement of Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, Aug. 17, 2026 (oag.maryland.gov); statement of Senate President Bill Ferguson, Aug. 17, 2026, via X/@SenBillFerg; statement of Governor Wes Moore, Aug. 17, 2026 (Office of the Governor); “Maryland Delegation Members’ Statement on State’s Victory in Lawsuit to Restore Greenbelt FBI Headquarters,” Aug. 17, 2026, posted via the offices of Reps. Glenn Ivey and Steny Hoyer (hoyer.house.gov); post by Rep. Steny Hoyer, Aug. 17, 2026, via X/@RepStenyHoyer; “Judge Rules Trump Administration Cannot Halt FBI HQ Move to Maryland,” FOX 5 DC, Aug. 17, 2026; “Trump Administration Can’t Move Forward With Relocating FBI HQ to Reagan Building, Judge Rules,” WTOP News, Aug. 17, 2026; “Greenbelt Back as Next Home for FBI, After Court Rejects ‘Unlawful’ Plan to Stay in DC,” Maryland Matters, Aug. 17, 2026; post by Del. Nicole Williams (D-22), Aug. 17, 2026, via X/@nwilliams23; prior joint statements from Gov. Wes Moore, Sens. Van Hollen and Alsobrooks, Reps. Hoyer and Ivey, and PG County Executive Braveboy on this litigation, Nov. 6, 2025 (oag.maryland.gov, hoyer.house.gov, vanhollen.senate.gov).
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