Trump–Russia Origins Investigations

Attorney General Pam Bondi told the House Judiciary Committee at a Feb. 11, 2026 hearing that the Justice Department has received a criminal referral from Chairman Jim Jordan alleging former CIA Director John Brennan lied to Congress about the Steele dossier and its role in the 2017 intelligence community assessment on Russian election interference. Bondi said she could not confirm or deny an ongoing investigation but stressed that "no one is above the law" and claimed "weaponization has ended," while acknowledging Brennan’s lawyers have made public statements as DOJ’s probe of the Trump–Russia origins continues. The referral follows an earlier push by CIA Director John Ratcliffe urging DOJ to prosecute Brennan over broader conspiracy allegations, and comes amid grand jury subpoenas issued from the Southern District of Florida to Brennan and former FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page — a choice of venue Brennan’s attorneys call forum shopping for Republican‑leaning judges. Rep. Dan Goldman shot back that if Republicans want to know whether Brennan will be indicted they "should just ask the president," highlighting Democratic concerns that charging decisions in this investigation could be politically driven. For a U.S. audience, the exchange underscores how Trump’s Justice Department is keeping the Russiagate origin story alive, with the attorney general publicly validating a criminal referral against a former CIA chief even as she refuses to say where the investigation stands.