Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who led the bureau after the September 11 attacks and later led a high-profile investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election and possible ties to Donald Trump's campaign, has died.
The Associated Press writes about this.
Mueller's death was announced by his family. The statement said he died on Friday evening and asked that their privacy be respected.
Mueller took over as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2001, just a week before the September 11, 2001, attacks. These events dramatically changed the agency's priorities, shifting it from domestic crime to terrorism prevention. During his 12-year tenure, Mueller reformed the agency to adapt it to new global threats.
After leaving the FBI, he became a special counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice and led the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The investigation found that Russia attempted to influence the vote in favor of Donald Trump, and that his campaign welcomed such assistance. However, Mueller's team did not find sufficient evidence of criminal conspiracy or a final assessment of possible obstruction of justice by Trump.
The investigation lasted nearly two years and was met with harsh criticism from Trump himself, who repeatedly called it a “witch hunt.” Despite this, Mueller remained reticent and barely responded publicly to political pressure.
Following the news of Mueller's death, Donald Trump published a sharp statement on social media, in which he welcomed his death.
“Robert Mueller just died. Well, I'm glad he's dead. He won't be able to hurt innocent people anymore!” Trump wrote.