WASHINGTON (Realist English). The Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened criminal investigations into former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey, Fox News Digital reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources within the Department of Justice.
The probes reportedly focus on alleged misconduct related to U.S. government investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which saw Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton. Specific details regarding the scope and nature of the investigations remain unclear.
Both the CIA and Justice Department declined immediate comment. The FBI also refused to respond to media inquiries. Reuters noted it had not independently verified the existence of the probes.
According to Fox, the referral for a criminal investigation into Brennan — who served under President Barack Obama — came from Trump-era CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Comey, meanwhile, was FBI director when the bureau launched its 2016 probe into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Trump dismissed Comey in May 2017 after he confirmed the existence of the investigation publicly.
The investigation was later taken over by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose 2019 report found no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump’s campaign and Russian officials.
Both Brennan and Comey have long been targets of criticism by Trump and his supporters, who have repeatedly characterized the Russia investigation as politically motivated. Trump has consistently referred to the inquiry as a “Russia hoax”.
A recent internal CIA review, released last week, acknowledged flaws in the preparation of the January 2017 intelligence assessment that concluded Russia aimed to help Trump win. However, the review did not dispute the assessment’s core finding.
Commenting on the new developments, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that the administration supports the DOJ’s decision: “I am glad to see that the Department of Justice is opening up this investigation.”
The renewed focus on Brennan and Comey comes amid broader dissatisfaction among Trump-aligned figures with the FBI and DOJ. Some Trump supporters have voiced frustration after federal investigators reportedly found no evidence to support conspiracy theories regarding the 2019 death of Jeffrey Epstein, a high-profile figure awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
During Trump’s first term, Special Counsel John Durham was appointed to examine the origins of the Russia probe. His multi-year investigation led to charges against three lower-level individuals but did not substantiate claims of a broad conspiracy against Trump.
No charges have been filed against Brennan or Comey to date, and a criminal investigation does not automatically lead to prosecution.
