A Target Letter: What It Is and What It Means

What is a Target Letter?

A target letter is an official piece of correspondence from the Justice Department informing a person that he or she is being investigated for a crime.

A target letter is a written letter issued to a witness who has been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury.

The Department of Justices general practice is to warn people being investigated for complex crimes that they are targets of the investigation.

July 19 2023 114 PM EDT CBS News Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday he received a letter from the Justice Department informing him that he is a target of a criminal investigation.

The Department of Justice has provided a sample target letter on its website Are You A Target Or Are You A Subject?