On July 27, 2025, CIA Director John Ratcliffe announced on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures that former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton could face indictments for their roles in the 2016 Trump-Russia investigation, dubbed “Russiagate.” Ratcliffe, citing referrals to the Justice Department, accused the trio of orchestrating a “hoax” to falsely tie Trump to Russian election interference. He pointed to forthcoming declassified documents from the Durham report, alleging their testimonies—Brennan in 2020 and 2022, Clinton in 2022, and Comey in 2020—are inconsistent with intelligence evidence.
The claims center on the Steele dossier, funded by Clinton’s campaign, which alleged Trump-Russia collusion but was later discredited for lacking corroboration. Ratcliffe, alongside DNI Tulsi Gabbard, asserts the dossier was pushed into intelligence assessments to undermine Trump’s 2016 victory. A 2020 Senate report confirmed Russia’s interference but found no direct collusion, contradicting Ratcliffe’s narrative. Critics, including Senator Mark Warner, call the accusations a distraction from Trump’s handling of Epstein-related files, with a July 6 DOJ memo halting further probes.
Supporters, citing a July Rasmussen poll showing 46% distrust in media, see the referrals as a step toward accountability. Legal experts, like former prosecutor Andy McCarthy, note statutes of limitations may limit charges, but perjury remains a possibility. The move escalates Trump’s push against perceived enemies, raising questions about politicized justice.
