DOJ Grand Jury Subpoenas Comey in Trump ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Probe Over 2017 Russia Assessment
A Fort Pierce-based DOJ grand jury overseen by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has subpoenaed former FBI Director James Comey in a probe led by U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones that seeks to tie Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan and other officials to an alleged “grand conspiracy” over the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment’s reference to the Steele dossier. Axios and other outlets say a June “Tradecraft Review” criticized that reference and referred Comey and Brennan for prosecution, Brennan remains central because alleged 2023 false statements fall within the statute of limitations, other ex-officials including Peter Strzok and Lisa Page have been subpoenaed, and the investigation—described by critics as politically charged—has prompted at least two prosecutor resignations and warnings of possible irregular prosecutorial pressure.
📌 Key Facts
- James Comey was subpoenaed in mid‑March 2026 in a DOJ grand jury probe tied to an alleged 'grand conspiracy' to target Donald Trump; Axios reports the subpoena is linked to his alleged role drafting the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian election interference.
- The investigation is being led by U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones and is before a Fort Pierce‑based grand jury overseen by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon; Axios says earlier attempts to prosecute Comey in the Eastern District of Virginia and John Brennan in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania stalled or failed.
- Axios reports a June 'Tradecraft Review' conducted under CIA Director John Ratcliffe criticized the ICA’s reference to the Steele dossier, concluded the dossier's inclusion undermined a key judgment, and led Ratcliffe to refer both Comey and Brennan for potential prosecution.
- Prosecutors are trying to connect Comey, John Brennan, former special counsel Jack Smith and others into a prosecutable conspiracy; Axios notes the statute of limitations has run on alleged 2020 false‑statement claims against Comey, complicating that theory.
- Brennan is treated as central to the current conspiracy effort because alleged false statements he made about the Steele dossier in a 2023 congressional deposition keep him within the five‑year statute of limitations, Axios reports.
- MS NOW frames the probe as based on what it calls a 'baseless conspiracy theory' and politically charged, saying it targets former intelligence and law‑enforcement officials whom Trump views as political foes; MS NOW also notes that Brennan and former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page have been subpoenaed.
- MS NOW reports — citing its prior November 2025 coverage — that at least two prosecutors have already resigned from the case, signaling internal DOJ turmoil over the investigation.
📊 Relevant Data
The Durham special counsel investigation concluded that the FBI did not have actual evidence of collusion between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia before launching its probe, criticized the FBI for procedural errors and reliance on unverified information like the Steele dossier, but found no evidence of a broad political conspiracy or that the investigation was politically motivated from the outset.
Takeaways from the Durham report on the Trump-Russia probe — Politico
A declassified appendix to the Durham report, released in 2025, detailed a Clinton campaign plan to falsely link Donald Trump to Russia, including efforts to promote allegations of Russian interference to distract from Clinton's email controversy, which formed the basis for Tulsi Gabbard's criminal referral alleging a conspiracy by Obama-era officials.
Newly Declassified Appendix to Durham Report Sheds Additional Light on Clinton Campaign Plan to Falsely Tie Trump to Russia and FBI’s Failure to Investigate — U.S. Senate (Sen. Chuck Grassley)
According to a 2020 NPR/Ipsos poll, 39% of Americans believed in a 'deep state' working to undermine elected leaders like Donald Trump, with 56% of Republicans agreeing, compared to 19% of Democrats; this belief was measured amid ongoing discussions of the Trump-Russia investigation.
More than 1 in 3 Americans believe a 'deep state' is working to undermine Trump — Ipsos
The Office of Inspector General found misconduct by FBI senior officials for violations of federal ethics rules and FBI policies in a 2020 investigative summary, including improper acceptance of gifts and failure to report relationships, though specific annual base rates of such terminations or misconduct findings across the FBI from 2016-2026 are not publicly detailed in aggregate form.
Findings of Misconduct by FBI Senior Officials for Violations of Federal Ethics Rules and FBI Policies — Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms, via MS NOW citing Axios, that James Comey has in fact been subpoenaed in the 'grand conspiracy' investigation led by U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones.
- Frames the case explicitly as predicated on what the outlet calls a 'baseless conspiracy theory' that Trump was singularly targeted by top government officials, underscoring the disputed and politically charged nature of the probe.
- Notes that the investigation targets former intelligence and law-enforcement officials whom Trump views as political foes and reiterates that former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page have also been subpoenaed.
- Reports that at least two prosecutors have already resigned from the case, citing MS NOW’s prior November 2025 reporting, reinforcing internal DOJ turmoil over the investigation.
- Axios specifies that the Comey subpoena, issued last week, is tied to his alleged role in drafting the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment on Russia’s election interference that favored Trump.
- The article details that the ICA’s reference to the Steele dossier was criticized in a June ‘Tradecraft Review’ under current CIA Director John Ratcliffe, which concluded its inclusion undermined a key judgment and led Ratcliffe to refer Comey and Brennan for prosecution.
- It identifies U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones as the prosecutor trying to connect Comey, Brennan, former special prosecutor Jack Smith and others into a prosecutable conspiracy case, despite the statute of limitations having run on alleged 2020 false statements by Comey.
- Axios reports that U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon is overseeing the Fort Pierce-based grand jury, after earlier failed or stalled attempts to prosecute Comey in the Eastern District of Virginia and Brennan in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
- The piece underscores that Brennan’s alleged 2023 false statements about the Steele dossier in a congressional deposition keep him within the five-year statute of limitations, making him central to the current conspiracy effort.
- It quotes from a letter by Brennan’s attorneys to the chief judge of the Florida district alleging 'unrelenting presidential pressure' on prosecutors to pursue Trump’s political targets and warning of 'irregular prosecutorial conduct' in politically sensitive grand jury matters.