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Who is Andrew Bailey? Top FBI official touted to replace Kash Patel amid firing reports
Trump may replace Kash Patel with top FBI officer Andrew Bailey after controversies over Patel’s use of resources and his girlfriend’s security detail.
President Donald Trump is considering replacing FBI Director Kash Patel with the agency's current co-deputy director, Andrew Bailey. According to a report by MS Now, the Trump administration is not happy with Patel's work and wanted is "considering" the 44-year-old FBI official from Massachusetts to replace Patel.
According to the report, the Trump administration is unhappy with how Kash Patel has handled the agency's resources, the sources in the Trump administration said. Additionally, the recent headlines surrounding Patel providing security to his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, did not sit well with the Trump administration.
Notably, Patel recently used an FBI jet to watch his girlfriend perform at a wrestling event. The trip reportedly cost the agency $60 million. Patel has also deployed SWAT teams to protect his girlfriend, a move that has sparked sharp criticism.
Per the report, the Trump administration is only “considering” Bailey as Patel's replacement. Meanwhile a White House spokesperson denied the claims, saying that Patel is "a critical member of the President’s team and he is working tirelessly to restore integrity to the FBI.”
Who Is Andrew Bailey?
Bailey is a Republican attorney who is a US Army veteran and joined the current Trump administration earlier this year as the deputy director of the FBI.
He served as Missouri Attorney General from 2023 to 2025, where he was known for conservative stances on issues like abortion restrictions, gender-affirming care. In August 2025, he resigned to join the Trump administration.
Also read: Pam Bondi and Kash Patel to be fired? Trump could act after midterms amid MAGA backlash, report says
Additionally, Bailey is known for his work in the legal defense of President Trump in various legal matters during the former's stint as the Missouri Attorney General.
Working in the US Army, he was deployed to Iraq during the Iraq War as an Armored Cavalry Officer.
Notably, Bailey is considered one of the top allies of President Trump. He sued New York after Trump's 2024 hush-money conviction, alleging "election interference" against Missouri voters. Petitioned SCOTUS to lift Trump's gag order and delay sentencing until post-election.
Among his notable push in favor of the Trump administration, Bailey, sued Starbucks for DEI "discrimination" against white men; challenged Biden on abortion pills, transgender care, and sanctuary cities.
