Surprise Shakeup at FBI as a Deputy Leaves

Andrew Bailey's quick rise at the FBI has come to an equally quick end. The conservative Trump ally, brought in about a year ago as one of two deputies running the bureau's day-to-day operations, said Monday he's stepping down to return to Missouri and his family, reports the Washington Post. His exit is the latest leadership shake-up under Director Kash Patel, following co-deputy Dan Bongino's earlier departure. Patel praised Bailey on Monday, and Bailey praised Patel in turn.

Bailey, a former Missouri attorney general known for pursuing culture-war issues, had been an unconventional choice for the No. 2 slot, arriving with no FBI background, notes the New York Times. He had been serving as co-deputy with FBI veteran Christopher Raia (promoted to fill Bongino's vacated post) in what the Times describes as an unusual arrangement: The agency has traditionally had just a single No. 2. Bailey and Raia reportedly had a rocky relationship. Bailey's tenure coincided with an uptick in dismissals and reassignments of seasoned agents.