Brennan Subpoenaed in Federal Trump Conspiracy Case

Brennan's attorney Ken Wainstein disclosed in a court filing Monday that a federal prosecutor served Brennan with a grand jury subpoena last Thursday. The subpoena requires him to appear Oct. 15 in Fort Pierce, Florida.

• 2 separate federal investigations target Brennan, according to his attorneys.
• 1 probe examines whether officials conspired to deprive Trump of civil rights.
• A second, narrower Washington-based investigation focuses on alleged false statements Brennan made to Congress in 2023.
• Lead investigator Joe diGenova resigned the same day the subpoena was delivered; no replacement has been named.

Why it matters: Brennan filed a lawsuit in July seeking a court order to preserve government records, arguing they are critical to challenging any future indictment as vindictive or selective prosecution.

• Brennan's lawyers point to officials' use of auto-deleting Signal messages as evidence records are at risk.
• The DOJ argues Brennan's request is unprecedented — no criminal defendant status exists yet to trigger preservation obligations.

How 12 sources split on this story

Where they split: The central dispute is whether the investigations reflect legitimate law enforcement or constitute politically motivated targeting of a former official.

What’s next: Judge Jia Cobb heard arguments Monday on Brennan's request to compel record preservation.

• Brennan is due before the Fort Pierce grand jury Oct. 15, absent a legal challenge to the subpoena.
• Will the Justice Department name a new lead investigator, and will that change the timeline or scope of the probe?
• Will Brennan challenge the subpoena in court before the Oct. 15 appearance date?
• Will the Florida grand jury ultimately return an indictment, or will the investigation stall as it has so far?