<p>On his way out the door, the<b> </b>man<b> </b>who<b> </b>led<b> </b>the<b> </b>FBI<b> </b>in Chicago<b> </b>for the last two years reminded his team that “being a leader means stepping up when things are hard.”</p><p>In a message addressed to “FBI Chicago,”<b> </b>Douglas<b> </b>DePodesta<b> </b>wrote that “our recent past has challenged us in more ways than most of us could have ever imagined. I’ve never backed down from a fight, as long as it meant our personnel could continue serving the FBI’s mission.</p><p>“Unfortunately,” DePodesta added, “that has proven unpopular over time and my departure is a consequence of that.”</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center> <div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div> <ul class="RelatedList-items"> <li class="RelatedList-items-item"> <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2026/07/01/chicago-fbi-chief-depodesta-leaving-unexpectedly-ongoing-credibility-crisis-federal-prosecutors-us-attorney" >Chicago FBI chief leaving unexpectedly, raising eyebrows amid feds’ ongoing credibility crisis</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p>The Chicago Sun-Times obtained a copy of DePodesta’s message <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2026/07/01/chicago-fbi-chief-depodesta-leaving-unexpectedly-ongoing-credibility-crisis-federal-prosecutors-us-attorney" target="_blank" >after news broke</a> that he’d be leaving his job as special agent in charge of the Chicago FBI Field Office. His last day<b> </b>with the FBI<b> </b>will<b> </b>be<b> </b>Monday, the message said.</p><p>DePodesta thanked his team “for the tireless sacrifices you and your families make.</p><p>“No one outside of these walls will ever understand how brave and honorable you each are,” he wrote in closing.