Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who led the bureau in the turbulent decade following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and who later served as a special counsel overseeing the politically charged investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, has died, his family announced. He was 81 years old.
A family statement said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the news of Bob’s passing last night.” “His family requests that their privacy be respected.”
The FBI Agents Association also mourned Mueller’s death, noting that he led the bureau “through a period of significant change and played an important role in enhancing its ability to confront evolving national security threats while maintaining its core criminal investigative mission.”
A spokesman for the WilmerHale law firm, where Mueller was a partner, praised him as “an exceptional leader, public servant and person of the greatest integrity.”
“His service to our country, including as a decorated officer in the Marine Corps, as Director of the FBI, and at the Department of Justice, has been exemplary and inspiring,” the spokesman said. “We are very proud to have him as our partner.”
Special Counsel Robert Mueller delivers a statement about the Russia investigation on May 29, 2019 at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
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Mueller was the second-longest-serving FBI director in the agency’s history. He has had a prosperous career in public service, earning a reputation for steadfast leadership, dedication to the country and commitment to protecting the nation’s security.
Robert Swan Mueller III was born in New York City on August 7, 1944. He studied politics at Princeton University, then earned a master’s degree in international relations from New York University.
After the death of a colleague in the Vietnam War, Mueller enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1968 and served two years in Vietnam as a platoon leader, during which he earned a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, two Commendation Medals, and other awards.
Upon leaving the Marine Corps in 1970 with the rank of captain, Mueller entered the University of Virginia School of Law, graduating in 1973 and then spending the next 28 years working as a U.S. attorney in San Francisco, Boston, and Washington, D.C., as well as three years in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
During his time at the Justice Department, Mueller investigated the Gambino crime family and also prosecuted the men responsible for the December 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight, as well as former Panamanian military commander Manuel Noriega.
On July 5, 2001, Mueller was appointed Director of the FBI, nominated by then-President George W. Bush. His tenure there saw the office shift its focus from domestic investigations to dealing with foreign terrorists after the September 11 attacks, during which Mueller gained a reputation among agents for being no-nonsense.
After serving his full 10-year term as FBI director, Mueller agreed to then-President Barack Obama’s request to remain in the position for another two years, after which he returned to the private sector in 2013.
FBI Director Robert Mueller testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C. on June 19, 2013.
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In May 2017, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller to oversee the investigation into alleged Russian government efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election. The investigation focused primarily on Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and brought back several high-profile indictments, including political consultant and lobbyist Roger Stone, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and 32 others.
Mueller submitted his long-awaited report in March 2019, which found that the Trump campaign worked with the Russian government to influence the results of the 2016 presidential election. Two months later, he resigned from his position as special counsel and returned to private life.
Trump took to social media on Saturday as news of Mueller’s death spread.
“Robert Mueller just died,” the president said. “Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can’t hurt innocent people anymore!”
The president’s comments were quickly rejected on Capitol Hill.
“I join the many Americans who mourn their loss Robert “Mueller led a career in public service always committed to the rule of law,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia. “I did not always agree with him, but I join many in mourning his passing.”
Addressing the graduating class of 2017 at Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts, Mueller She advised graduates To live their lives “with integrity, patience and humility.”
“Whatever we do, we must act with honesty and integrity, and no matter what profession you choose, you are only as good as your word,” Mueller declared. “If you are not honest, your reputation will be damaged, and once it is lost, you will never be able to regain good reputation.”
Mueller is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Anne Cabell Standish, as well as two daughters and five grandchildren.
