The U.S. Justice Department has subpoenaed several cooperating witnesses, including former senior intelligence and FBI officials, to testify before a grand jury in Washington, D.C., as part of a criminal investigation into whether former CIA Director John Brennan lied to Congress, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The subpoenas were issued over the weekend, shortly after Joseph diGenova, a conservative attorney and staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, was appointed to formally oversee the probe. DiGenova replaced the career prosecutor initially handling the case, whose removal occurred late last week.
DiGenova is known for representing Trump’s campaign during its unsuccessful efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. The witnesses subpoenaed had previously cooperated voluntarily with the investigation and had been scheduled for interviews with FBI agents and prosecutors before receiving grand jury subpoenas.
Legal experts noted the shift from voluntary interviews to compulsory grand jury testimony is unusual. Normally, prosecutors conduct interviews outside of grand jury proceedings and present the gathered testimony to grand jurors. The decision to secure in-person grand jury testimonies may reflect an intensified prosecutorial approach under DiGenova’s leadership.
The cooperating witnesses are expected to appear before the grand jury as early as this week, sources said. The change in procedure comes amid a context of increased reluctance among grand jurors in Washington, D.C., to indict in politically sensitive cases.
Why it matters
This development signals a significant escalation in the criminal inquiry into Brennan, suggesting the Justice Department is pursuing the case with greater urgency and applying additional legal pressure in hopes of securing indictments. The involvement of DiGenova, a figure closely aligned with Trump’s political interests, raises questions about the probe’s direction and political implications.
Background
John Brennan, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, has faced scrutiny over allegations that he provided false statements to Congress during previous investigations. The inquiry is part of a broader examination by the Department of Justice into potential misinformation provided by intelligence officials. The appointment of DiGenova early in 2026 followed the removal of the prior career prosecutor, reflecting a shift in investigative leadership.
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