President Donald Trump celebrated the death of Robert Mueller, the former FBI director and special counsel who investigated Russian interference in the 2016 election, saying, “Good, I’m glad he’s dead.”
Mueller, a career prosecutor and veteran of the Vietnam War, died Saturday at 81-years-old Friday, his family confirmed. While Mueller had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2021, his family did not say how he died.
Trump responded to Mueller’s death on Truth Social, saying, “Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people.”
Mueller became a political enemy of Trump’s while serving as special counsel in the Justice Department in 2017. Mueller, who was investigating any Russian interference in the 2016 election, expanded his probe to include any connection between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump.
Mueller’s investigation infuriated Trump for years. The president referred to the probe as a “witch hunt” and assailed Mueller as a “fool.”
Ultimately, Mueller’s long-anticipated report, dubbed “The Mueller Report,” found no evidence that the 2016 Trump campaign colluded with Russia – though the report also did not exonerate the president. Mueller’s findings determined that Russia did seek to help Trump win the election.
Mueller had an impressive career in prosecution and government, spanning more than three decades. While he was a registered Republican, his reputation for professionalism led him to positions in both Republican and Democratic administrations.
He developed a reputation for intense professionalism by following the rules, keeping his personal life separate from his political career and keeping his political beliefs close to his chest.
Notably, Mueller’s leadership in the FBI – which occurred at the same time as the September 11, 2001, attacks – forever changed the structure and importance of the bureau when it comes to national security.
Mueller was born on August 7, 1944, in New York City. He spent some of his childhood in Princeton, New Jersey, eventually attending and graduating from the elite Princeton University with a degree in politics.
He later attended a master’s degree in international relations from New York University in 1967 before obtaining a law degree from the University of Virginia in 1973.
In 1968, between graduate school and law school, Mueller joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Vietnam War. Mueller rose to the rank of Captain and earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service.
Mueller joined the Justice Department in 1976, working his way from assistant U.S. attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of California to becoming the U.S. attorney for the district in 2001.
Mueller’s impressive resume eventually led former President George W. Bush to tap him to become the Director of the FBI. Mueller stepped into his new role in the FBI just seven days before the 9/11 attacks.
This is a breaking news story, more follows…
About the Author
