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In Donald Trump’s first term, he was furious that people were investigating his connections to Russia—“Russia, Russia, Russia,” he complained. Now, as the President fulfills a campaign promise of retribution, his Administration has put the Russia “hoax” back into the headlines. It claims to have opened investigations into James Comey, the former F.B.I. director, and John Brennan, the former C.I.A. director. Brennan, a career C.I.A. officer, served nearly thirty years, holding senior positions under Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama; his tenure included the controversial drone program, as well as the infamous Steele dossier on Trump during the 2016 election. David Remnick speaks with Brennan about why Trump officials are reinvestigating old business. Are there real issues, or is this an attempt to direct the news cycle away from Jeffrey Epstein? “I’ve seen reports in the press that I’m under investigation,” Brennan points out. “But I’ve not heard anything from the Department of Justice, or the F.B.I., or the C.I.A., or the office of director of National Intelligence. No one has contacted me about anything.”

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