John Brennan Could Soon Face Federal Charges as Attorneys Warn Investigations Are Reaching Critical Stage

Former CIA Director John Brennan could soon face federal charges as two investigations examine his conduct involving congressional testimony and alleged efforts targeting President Donald Trump.

Brennan’s attorney, Kenneth Wainstein, confirmed that his client remains a target of the federal investigations, according to the Washington Examiner.

“He’s still the target. He has been identified as the target of those investigations,” Wainstein said, describing the potential timing of judicial action as a matter of “imminence.”

The investigations reportedly concern allegations that Brennan made false statements to Congress and participated in a conspiracy to deprive Trump of his rights. Brennan played a central role in the intelligence establishment’s promotion of the Russia-collusion narrative that shadowed Trump’s first term but ultimately failed to establish the sweeping conspiracy repeatedly suggested by Democrats and their allies in the media.

A federal grand jury meeting in Fort Pierce, Florida, has subpoenaed Brennan, who is scheduled to appear Oct. 15.

Meanwhile, Brennan’s attorneys are asking a federal court to order the government to preserve records connected to the investigations. The legal maneuver appears designed to prepare for a potential argument that any future indictment represents vindictive prosecution by the Trump administration.

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, questioned what practical effect such an order would have before any charges had been filed.

“What is me issuing an injunction going to do to put you in a different position?” Cobb asked Brennan’s legal team.

Wainstein acknowledged that the request was unusual but argued that the circumstances justified it.

“Maybe we’re asking for something that’s a little unprecedented,” Wainstein said toward the end of the hearing. “But it’s needed due to the conduct of this administration.”

Brennan’s legal team portrayed the investigations as politically motivated, alleging that officials within the Trump administration were coordinating against the former intelligence chief.

Administration attorneys rejected that characterization and warned that granting Brennan’s request would require the court to intervene based on events that may never occur.

“Federal courts are not in the business of policing document preservation,” an administration attorney said, arguing that Brennan could raise his objections before the judge assigned to the case if an indictment is returned.

“It’s speculative whether there is going to be an indictment,” the attorney added.

Cobb nevertheless pressed the administration over why Brennan should be forced to wait until after an alleged violation before seeking judicial relief.

“Why can’t someone come to court before a violation occurs to try and stop it?” she asked.

The judge indicated that she would consider the request before issuing a decision.

Brennan has denied lying during his 2023 testimony before Congress. However, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan formally referred him to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution in October 2025, according to The Federalist.

Jordan alleged that Brennan’s testimony conflicted with evidence assembled by congressional investigators and the CIA itself.

“Brennan made numerous willfully and intentionally false statements of material fact contradicted by the record established by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) and the CIA,” Jordan said.

“Making false statements before Congress,” Jordan wrote, “is a crime that undermines the integrity of the Committee’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight.”

The developing case could mark a significant moment in the effort to hold senior intelligence officials accountable for their conduct surrounding the Russia investigation. Conservatives have long argued that intelligence powers were weaponized against Trump and his supporters while the officials responsible escaped meaningful scrutiny.

Whether prosecutors ultimately seek an indictment remains uncertain. But Brennan’s own attorneys now acknowledge that the former CIA director remains squarely in investigators’ sights—and that federal charges may be approaching.