Robert Mueller, the former special counsel whose investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US election defined much of Donald Trump's first term in office, has died aged 81. The cause of his death was not immediately clear. CBS News, the BBC US partner, confirmed his death. With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away on Friday night, his family told the AP in a statement. His family asks that their privacy be respected.
Mueller previously led the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013, taking the office just days before the 11 September 2001 terror attacks. He is credited with reshaping it into a modern counterterrorism agency. Mueller is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Ann Cabell Standish, their two daughters, and three grandchildren.
Mueller's special counsel inquiry put Donald Trump's 2016 campaign under a microscope, drawing harsh criticism from the US president. Trump wrote on Truth Social, I'm glad he's dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!
Mueller's former colleagues praised him as a longtime public servant. Former presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama paid tribute. Bush expressed deep sadness over Mueller's passing, while Obama called him one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI.
Mueller was born in 1944 and served in Vietnam before studying law at the University of Virginia, where he graduated in 1973. He became FBI director in August 2001, serving for more than a decade before retiring in 2013.
His investigation into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election, sparked by claims of coordination with Trump's campaign, was a near-constant source of intrigue and speculation until it concluded in March 2019. The Mueller report was thorough but ultimately inconclusive, noting Russia's interference while not establishing that members of Trump's campaign conspired in these activities. His findings noted that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.
Mueller's legacy is marked by his commitment to integrity and public service, even amidst intense political scrutiny.
Mueller previously led the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013, taking the office just days before the 11 September 2001 terror attacks. He is credited with reshaping it into a modern counterterrorism agency. Mueller is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Ann Cabell Standish, their two daughters, and three grandchildren.
Mueller's special counsel inquiry put Donald Trump's 2016 campaign under a microscope, drawing harsh criticism from the US president. Trump wrote on Truth Social, I'm glad he's dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!
Mueller's former colleagues praised him as a longtime public servant. Former presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama paid tribute. Bush expressed deep sadness over Mueller's passing, while Obama called him one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI.
Mueller was born in 1944 and served in Vietnam before studying law at the University of Virginia, where he graduated in 1973. He became FBI director in August 2001, serving for more than a decade before retiring in 2013.
His investigation into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election, sparked by claims of coordination with Trump's campaign, was a near-constant source of intrigue and speculation until it concluded in March 2019. The Mueller report was thorough but ultimately inconclusive, noting Russia's interference while not establishing that members of Trump's campaign conspired in these activities. His findings noted that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.
Mueller's legacy is marked by his commitment to integrity and public service, even amidst intense political scrutiny.
