FBI Opens Criminal Probe Into Former Intel Chiefs Brennan and Comey

According to Justice Department insiders, the FBI has opened criminal investigations into former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey, focusing on their roles in the investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia during the 2016 U.S. election.

In Brennan’s case, sources say CIA Director John Ratcliffe referred evidence to FBI leadership—through Director Kash Patel—triggering a formal inquiry into whether Brennan made false statements to Congress. The probe may center on his involvement in evaluating and promoting inclusion of the Steele dossier in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, despite intense internal objections because it had no merit. It's not clear yet if some of those objections were that the Steele dossier was funded and created by Clinton campaign operatives.

Meanwhile, a separate but less detailed criminal investigation into Comey has also been confirmed, although officials have provided no specifics regarding the allegations. DOJ insiders hint that both investigations could encompass broader questions, possibly including allegations of a coordinated effort between the two former leaders.

To date, neither the FBI, the DOJ, nor the CIA has publicly commented on active investigations. Brennan and Comey also have not offered a response.

The investigations come after last week’s CIA “lessons‑learned” review, which noted procedural inconsistencies and high-level involvement by Brennan, Comey, and then‑Director of National Intelligence James Clapper in the 2017 assessment that concluded Russia sought to influence the 2016 election. While that review reaffirmed the core finding about Russian interference, it flagged flaws in how the assessment was compiled. While media hype exaggerated Russian influence, the main interference cited by Mueller was a Kremlin-linked troll farm (IRA) that spent less than $150,000 on ads—many of which were poorly targeted memes. Despite headlines, the Mueller Report found no coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

If criminal charges result, it would mark an unprecedented escalation: two former top intelligence officials would be facing legal action over their roles in the Russia‑related inquiries. Although past investigations—such as Special Counsel John Durham’s probe—highlighted procedural errors, they did not result in conspiracy charges