Former CIA Director John Brennan is taking the Trump administration to court as the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into his role in the Trump-Russia probe continues to escalate.
In a new federal lawsuit, Brennan is asking a judge to force the administration to preserve all records related to the investigation, arguing that prosecutors are violating his constitutional rights and pursuing what he calls a politically motivated case.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., claims the Justice Department launched the investigation “at the direct urging of President Trump” and accuses federal officials of transforming the department into “a tool of retribution.”
Brennan’s attorneys argue prosecutors have already crossed legal and ethical lines by allegedly signaling his guilt before any charges have been filed, disclosing grand jury information, and moving the investigation between federal districts in search of a more favorable venue.
At the heart of the investigation is one of the most controversial intelligence assessments in modern American history.
Federal investigators are examining how the intelligence community produced its 2017 assessment concluding that Russia sought to influence the 2016 presidential election in Donald Trump’s favor. Investigators are reportedly focusing on whether Brennan played a role in incorporating or relying upon the now-discredited Steele dossier, which was funded by Trump’s political opponents and contained numerous unverified allegations.
According to previous reporting, FBI agents have interviewed roughly a dozen current and former intelligence officials involved in drafting the assessment, while investigators also seek to determine whether Brennan misled Congress during testimony in 2023.
Brennan has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has maintained that the intelligence community reached its conclusions independently of the Steele dossier, though a summary of the dossier was ultimately attached to a classified version of the assessment.
The Justice Department has assigned former Trump attorney Joseph diGenova to help oversee the probe under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, signaling that the administration considers the investigation a major priority.
In his latest filing, Brennan also accuses the administration of failing to properly preserve government records, asking the court to order officials to retain every document, email, text message, and communication that could become relevant if criminal charges are eventually filed.
The Justice Department fired back sharply.
“While we cannot comment on the existence, or lack thereof, of an investigation,” a DOJ spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “it is certainly rich that John Brennan is accusing anyone of a ‘retribution campaign.'”
No criminal charges have been filed against Brennan, and the Justice Department has not publicly confirmed the scope of its investigation.
But with a federal lawsuit now underway and investigators continuing to interview witnesses, the legal battle over one of the most contentious chapters of the Russia investigation appears far from over.