Donald Trump wasted no time celebrating the death of former FBI Director Robert Mueller, posting on TruthSocial that he’s “glad” Mueller is gone and can no longer “hurt innocent people.”
Mueller, who led the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and Trump’s potential ties to Moscow, passed away Friday at age 81, with his family announcing the news through a statement to the New York Times.
The relationship between Trump and Mueller had been contentious for years. Trump consistently attacked the investigation as a “witch hunt” and repeatedly questioned Mueller’s impartiality, even as the special counsel methodically built his case examining Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Trump’s immediate reaction to Mueller’s death showed no restraint or respect for the man’s decades of public service.
Mueller’s 448-page report, released in 2019, found that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election but stopped short of charging Trump with conspiracy.
The report did examine potential obstruction of justice, leaving the question unresolved and creating the messy political situation Trump claimed as total vindication while critics argued the findings raised serious concerns about his conduct.
The special counsel was appointed in 2017 by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to oversee the federal investigation into Russian interference.
Mueller’s team conducted interviews, issued subpoenas, and pursued leads for nearly two years before delivering their findings.
The investigation into Trump’s Russia connections became one of the most polarizing political events of the Trump presidency, with supporters viewing it as a witch hunt and critics seeing it as a necessary check on executive power.
Mueller’s family did not disclose the cause of death or where he passed away, requesting privacy during this time.
Per The Guardian, Mueller had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2021, which may have contributed to his declining health in recent years.