Why FBI faces uphill battle to investigate Comey and Brennan

Published July 13, 2025 6:00am ET



The FBI and Justice Department may face steep obstacles if they pursue prosecutions against former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan over their roles in the Trump-Russia investigation, despite growing scrutiny over the discredited Steele dossier’s influence and allegations of perjury before Congress.

Both Comey and Brennan are under federal criminal investigation for allegedly misusing intelligence and making false statements related to the 2016 election and their investigation of President Donald Trump, Fox News Digital first reported on Tuesday. The investigation reportedly stems from a referral issued by current CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who declassified a “lessons learned” tradecraft review on July 2 that criticized Brennan’s handling of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment that tied Russia’s election interference efforts to material support for then-candidate Trump.

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