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Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced Monday he will step down from his post in September to take on a top leadership role at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Bailey, who has served as the state’s chief legal officer since 2022, said his last day will be Sept. 8. Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican, has the authority to appoint a successor to complete the term, which runs until 2028.
“It has been a humbling privilege to serve as the 44th Attorney General of the State of Missouri, and I am forever grateful to the people of Missouri for the opportunity to represent our state and your families. My life has been defined by a call to service, and I am once again answering that call, this time at the national level. But wherever I am called, Missouri is and always will be home,” said Attorney General Bailey.
“I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Co-Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I extend my deepest gratitude to President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Bondi for the privilege to join in their stated mission to Make America Safe Again,” he added.
Bailey was first appointed attorney general by then-Gov. Mike Parson in 2022 to replace Eric Schmitt, who had been elected to the U.S. Senate. Schmitt himself had been appointed to the role in 2018 after Josh Hawley resigned to take his Senate seat.
Bailey later won a full four-year term in 2024, defeating White House staff secretary Will Scharf in the Republican primary. He will now serve as co-deputy director of the FBI alongside former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino. Both will report to FBI Director Kash Patel.
Bailey also reflected on his tenure in a post to X, calling his time as attorney general “the honor of my professional career.”
“But what has made it truly meaningful has been the opportunity to serve my home state,” he wrote. “Together, we have defended the rule of law and safeguarded our freedoms. I am forever grateful.”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi welcomed Bailey’s appointment, citing his legal and military background.
“I am thrilled to welcome Andrew Bailey as Co-Deputy Director of the FBI. He has served as a distinguished attorney general for Missouri and is a decorated war veteran, bringing expertise and dedication to service,” Bondi said in a statement.
