Washington, D.C. – On July 8, 2025, Fox News Digital broke an exclusive story revealing that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched criminal investigations into former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey. These probes center on alleged misconduct related to the Trump-Russia investigation, including accusations of making false statements to Congress. The revelations have sent ripples through political and intelligence circles, reigniting debates about the controversial 2016 probe into Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.
According to unnamed sources within the Department of Justice (DOJ) cited by Fox News Digital, CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred evidence of wrongdoing by Brennan to FBI Director Kash Patel for potential prosecution. The referral led to the opening of a criminal investigation into Brennan, which is currently underway, though the full scope remains unclear. Similarly, an investigation into Comey has been launched, but details about the specific allegations against him have not been disclosed.
The FBI's view of Brennan and Comey's roles during the Trump-Russia probe has been described by two sources as a "conspiracy," suggesting a possible broader scheme beyond isolated misconduct. However, it is important to note that the investigations do not guarantee charges will be filed against either former official.
The timing of these investigations follows the recent declassification of a "lessons learned" review by the CIA, which scrutinized the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) produced during the Obama administration. This assessment concluded that Russia sought to influence the 2016 presidential election to benefit then-candidate Donald Trump. The review highlighted significant procedural anomalies and deviations from intelligence standards in the ICA's creation, describing the process as "rushed," "atypical," and "markedly unconventional."
One of the most contentious issues raised by the CIA review was the inclusion of the Steele dossier—a document compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele containing unverified and widely discredited claims about Trump. Despite strong objections from two of the CIA's senior Russia experts, Brennan insisted on including the dossier in the ICA. A former deputy CIA director warned Brennan that this decision risked "the credibility of the entire paper," yet Brennan formalized his position in writing, stating, "my bottomline is that I believe that the information warrants inclusion in the report." This stance starkly contrasts Brennan's congressional testimony in May 2023, where he claimed the dossier "wasn't part of the corpus of intelligence information that we had" and "was not in any way used as a basis for the Intelligence Community Assessment."
The review also found that Brennan, Comey, and then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper were "excessively involved" in drafting the ICA, contributing to a chaotic and politically charged atmosphere. CIA Director Ratcliffe, in comments to The Post, characterized the situation bluntly: "This was Obama, Comey, Clapper and Brennan deciding 'We're going to screw Trump.'"
Further illuminating the controversy, records declassified as part of the review revealed that FBI leadership, including Comey, pushed for the dossier's inclusion in the ICA. The CIA review noted, "FBI leadership made it clear that their participation in the [intelligence community assessment] hinged on the Dossier's inclusion and, over the next few days, repeatedly pushed to weave references to it throughout the main body of the ICA."
The Steele dossier's origins have long been a source of political debate. Commissioned by opposition research firm Fusion GPS and funded by the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee, the dossier's allegations were never substantiated. The dossier was ultimately relegated to a footnote in the ICA, largely due to FBI insistence, according to reports by the Justice Department inspector general and the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Adding to the scrutiny, a December 2016 email sent to Brennan by the former deputy CIA director warned that including the dossier risked undermining the entire ICA's credibility. Yet Brennan's preference for narrative consistency over analytical rigor prevailed, as noted in the CIA's "Tradecraft Review."
The investigations into Brennan and Comey also come against the backdrop of past special counsel inquiries. Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's nearly two-year investigation into the Trump campaign's alleged coordination with Russia concluded in March 2019 with no evidence of criminal conspiracy. Meanwhile, Special Counsel John Durham's probe into the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation found that the bureau "failed to act" on a "clear warning sign" that it was being manipulated for political purposes by the Clinton campaign, but did not uncover evidence of a broader conspiracy targeting Trump.
Notably, Brennan briefed then-President Barack Obama on July 28, 2016, about a plan from a Clinton campaign foreign policy advisor to "vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service." Present at this briefing were Vice President Joe Biden, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Shortly thereafter, the FBI launched the "Crossfire Hurricane" investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
The White House has reacted strongly to the new developments. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, "President Trump was right — again. Those who engaged in this political scandal must be held accountable for the fraud they committed against President Trump and the lies they told to the American people." She also expressed support for the DOJ's decision to open these investigations, saying she is "glad to see that the Department of Justice is opening up this investigation."
Despite the gravity of the probes, the FBI, CIA, and DOJ have declined to comment publicly, and neither Brennan nor Comey has responded to requests for comment. The investigations remain ongoing, with many questions about their ultimate scope and potential outcomes.
As the nation watches closely, these criminal investigations into two of the most prominent figures in the Trump-Russia saga underscore the enduring controversies and deep divisions that continue to shape American political and intelligence landscapes.
