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Robert Mueller, the man who led the FBI for 12 years before leading an investigation into Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, has died aged 81, his family announced on Saturday.
"With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away" on Friday night, they said in a statement. "His family asks that their privacy be respected."
The long-term public servant drew the ire of the US president in his role as special counsel for the Justice Department during its investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Mueller said at the time that his report did not exonerate Trump.
How did Trump respond to the news of Mueller's death?
The president took to his social media platform to gloat about the passing of the former FBI director.
"Robert Mueller just died. Good, I'm glad he's dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Other presidents responded in a more traditional manner.
Barack Obama, whose presidency coincided with Mueller's directorship at the FBI for five years, called him "one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI."
"It was his relentless commitment to the rule of law and his unwavering belief in our bedrock values that made him one of the most respected public servants of our time," Obama added.
Republican President George W. Bush, who first nominated Mueller, said he was "deeply saddened" by the news and praised him for having "dedicated his life to public service."
Mueller was called back into service after Trump fired his successor as head of the FBI [FILE: July 2019] Image: Stefani Reynolds/Consolidated News Photos/picture allianceWho was Robert Mueller?
Although he may be best known for his investigation into the Trump campaign, Mueller was also the second-longest serving director of the FBI, behind only J. Edgar Hoover.
He took over the agency in 2001, just days before the September 11 terror attacks. He was responsible for building up the bureau's counterterrorism mission.
He had previously been a decorated Marine from his service in Vietnam, before he became a prosecutor in San Francisco and Boston. His two most prominent cases revolved around New York mobster John Gotti and Panama's General Manuel Noriega.
What was Mueller's investigation into Trump about?
Mueller retired from his role at the FBI in 2013 after having agreed to extend his tenure for another five years upon request by President Obama. But he was called back out of retirement to lead the investigation into Russian meddling after Trump fired Mueller's successor James Comey in 2017.
Mueller's investigation lasted two years before he appeared in Congress to testify. His investigators issued charges against 34 individuals, six of which were Trump associates, and three companies.
Trump repeatedly denounced the investigation as a "witch hunt."
Mueller avoided taking political sides, instead pointing to his voluminous report to answer questions from Democrats and Republicans alike.
The 448-page report laid out substantial contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia, but did not allege a criminal conspiracy. It also provided details on how the president had tried to take control of the investigation into his own campaign.
Although he declined to say whether Trump had broken the law, he did say in the report: "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are unable to reach that judgment."
Edited by: Karl Sexton
