Robert Mueller, the former FBI director for more than a decade who later served as special counsel in the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, died on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter. He was 81.
The cause of death was not immediately known, but Mueller had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for years, the people said.
Mueller, whose two-year probe concluded in 2019 that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election of Donald Trump, served as FBI director from 2001 to 2013. The Justice Department in 2017 appointed him special counsel to oversee the growing investigation after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey.
The Mueller probe became an obsessive subject for Trump, who repeatedly — as many as hundreds of times — called Mueller’s investigation a “witch hunt,” “a scam” and a “hoax.”
Upon hearing of Mueller’s death on Saturday, the president wrote in a Truth Social post: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!”
The president’s comment was immediately condemned by Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who had vigorously pursued allegations of Trump’s ties to Russia while he served on the House Intelligence Committee.
Mueller’s investigation resulted in 37 indictments and seven guilty pleas, though he found no evidence that Trump or his aides coordinated with Russia. The Mueller report, as it came to be known, did not conclude that Trump committed any crime, but it also did not clear the president of obstruction of justice.
The investigation made Mueller a prime Trump target. For years, the president lobbed insults and sought to undermine Mueller’s credibility while claiming a “deep state” conspiracy against him.
The grudge that Trump held against Mueller persisted into his second term. In March 2025, he signed an executive order cutting ties between federal agencies and the law firm WilmerHale, Mueller’s former employer. The order was subsequently struck down by a judge as unconstitutional.
In a statement to MS NOW, WilmerHale called Mueller “an extraordinary leader and public servant and a person of the greatest integrity.”
“We are deeply proud that he was our partner,” the firm said. “Our thoughts are with Bob’s family and loved ones during this time.”
Despite his storied career, the partisan bickering stoked by Trump over Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference endured. After news of his death broke, Democrats lauded his character and legal prowess while Republicans criticized his role in the investigation.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., called him “a dedicated, courageous patriot, skilled prosecutor, & tireless investigative leader.” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., praised his “integrity, duty, and strength of character.”
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told MS NOW that Mueller served honorably “in his earlier days” but said in “his last public service, I think he was used by some of his colleagues.” Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, struck a similar tone on X: “Up until his leadership of that investigation, Mueller had an extremely strong reputation and career.” Mueller spent much of his adult life in public service. At a time when many young men were trying to avoid serving in Vietnam, Mueller not only volunteered for the U.S. Marines Corps after graduating from Princeton University, but spent a year waiting for an injured knee to heal so he could serve. He was awarded a Purple Heart after being shot while leading a platoon to rescue American soldiers under attack by the Vietcong. Mueller later earned a law degree from the University of Virginia Law School. He worked as a litigator in San Francisco before serving in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco, then as an assistant U.S. attorney in Boston. He joined the Justice Department as an assistant to Attorney General Richard L. Thornburgh in 1989. After a stint as a partner at a Boston law firm, Mueller returned to public service in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. He served as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California from 1998-2001 before being tapped by President George W. Bush to lead the FBI, taking office the week before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. After 9/11, Mueller transformed the FBI into an agency dedicated to fighting terrorism — and staved off an effort to split the bureau into two parts, one for intelligence and the other for law enforcement. “Director Mueller led the Bureau during a period of significant change and played an important role in strengthening its ability to confront evolving national security threats while maintaining its core criminal investigative mission,” the FBI Agents Association said in a statement, adding, “The FBIAA extends its condolences to Director Mueller’s family and honors his commitment to public service and to the FBI’s mission.” Lisa Rubin and Kevin Frey contributed to this report.
Carol Leonnig is a senior investigative reporter with MS NOW.
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
Ken Dilanian is the justice and intelligence correspondent for MS NOW. Recommended
