Chicago FBI chief leaving unexpectedly, raising eyebrows amid feds' ongoing credibility crisis

Chicago FBI boss Douglas S. DePodesta will leave his job after the Fourth of July holiday, an unexpected move causing further tumult in the city’s federal law enforcement community, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

His last day on the job will be Monday, according to a law enforcement source.

The FBI’s Rapid Response social media account late Wednesday said, “It’s simple: Anyone who is not on board with THIS FBI under the leadership of President Trump — which has achieved the lowest murder rate ever — is free to leave.” It did so in response to a post about DePodesta by former FBI agent and podcaster Kyle Seraphin.

DePodesta led the agency’s Chicago Field Office for nearly two years, taking the helm in August 2024. He’s been with the FBI since 2002, and over the course of his career he’s worked investigations involving drugs, corruption, terrorism and foreign counterintelligence. He’s repeatedly touted the value of partnerships between federal, state and local law enforcement while serving as the FBI’s special agent in charge.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2026/07/01/chicago-fbi-chief-depodesta-leaving-unexpectedly-ongoing-credibility-crisis-federal-prosecutors-us-attorney