Son of former CIA Director John Brennan arrested on child sexual abuse images charge

WASHINGTON (AP) — The son of former CIA Director John Brennan was arrested Friday on a federal charge related to child sexual abuse images, according to authorities.

The case against Kyle Owen Brennan brought in federal court in Virginia stems from an investigation by local authorities that was referred to the FBI earlier this year, according to court papers.

An attorney for Kyle Brennan did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

Local authorities began investigating after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received a tip in 2024 about suspected child sexual abuse material uploaded to his Adobe account, according to an affidavit filed in court.

His cellphone was seized that year as part of the local investigation before the case was referred to the FBI in October, the court papers say. An FBI review of data from the phone uncovered child sexual abuse images, according to the affidavit.

John Brennan, who served as CIA director under President Barack Obama, has been under scrutiny by President Donald Trump’s Justice Department over allegations that he lied to Congress during 2023 testimony.

John Brennan has vigorously denied those allegations, which relate to the intelligence community assessment that Russia had launched an influence campaign during the 2016 U.S. presidential election with a goal of boosting the Republican over Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Prosecutors have not filed charges despite warning his lawyers that he is a target of their probe. Brennan has also been entangled in a broader conspiracy investigation in Florida scrutinizing Trump adversaries, but that inquiry has shown signs of floundering.