RismadarVoice Reporters
July 1, 2026
Former CIA Director John Brennan has filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, seeking a court order requiring officials to preserve records related to investigations he says are targeting him for what he describes as “phantom criminal conduct.”
Brennan argues that preserving the records is essential should he face future criminal charges. According to the lawsuit, the documents could support a claim of vindictive prosecution, allowing him to argue that any indictment was motivated by political retaliation rather than evidence.
The lawsuit cites more than 100 public statements made by Donald Trump since 2017 criticising Brennan. His legal team contends that the president encouraged the Justice Department to pursue investigations without sufficient factual or legal basis.
Filed in federal court in Washington, the lawsuit names Trump and several senior administration officials as defendants, including acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and prosecutors in Florida overseeing the investigations.
According to the filing, Brennan is the subject of two separate investigations in Florida:
One is examining whether he made false statements to Congress regarding the U.S. intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.
The other is investigating whether former intelligence and law enforcement officials conspired to undermine Trump during and after the Russia investigation.
No criminal charges have been filed against Brennan. The Justice Department has rejected allegations that the investigations are politically motivated or constitute a weaponisation of federal law enforcement.
