Former FBI director Robert Mueller, who investigated alleged Trump-Russia ties, has died at the age of 81.
His family said in a statement on Saturday: “With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away.”
Mr Mueller, who died on Friday, returned to public service as special counsel in the Trump-Russia inquiry.
Responding to news of his death on Truth Social, Donald Trump wrote: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!”
Mr Mueller’s 448-page report, released in April 2019, identified substantial contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia but did not allege a criminal conspiracy. He also laid out details about Mr Trump’s efforts to seize control of the investigation, and even shut it down.
Mr Mueller transformed the nation’s law enforcement agency into a terrorism-fighting force, joining just one week before the September 11 attacks.
Nominated to the post by former Republican President George W Bush, he remained director for 12 years.
President Bush in 2001 nominating Robert Mueller to head the FBI. File pic: AP
Robert Mueller, pictured in 2009, also served under Barack Obama’s presidency. File pic: Reuters
His time was defined by the 2001 terrorist attacks on the US and its aftermath. The FBI was granted broad new surveillance and national security powers as it became increasingly challenged by threats from al Qaeda and terror plots.
Mr Mueller held the job until 2013, becoming the second-longest-serving director in FBI history, behind only J Edgar Hoover.
Divisive Trump-Russia inquiry
Robert Mueller’s team spent nearly two years conducting one of the most consequential, yet divisive, investigations in the history of the US Justice Department.
US politicians question Mr Mueller about his investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. File pic: Reuters
Mr Mueller pointedly noted: “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.”
The investigation resulted in charges against 34 people, among them Russian intelligence officers and several Trump associates, including his campaign chairman and first national security adviser.
Read more from Sky News:
Meningitis outbreak: Cases in Kent rise to 34
Northern Lights: Spectacular views forecast to return
Strategic change at FBI
During his tenure at the FBI, he had to construct a new model of policing.
“I had expected to focus on areas familiar to me as a prosecutor: drug cases, white-collar criminal cases and violent crime,” Mr Mueller told a group of lawyers in October 2012.
He added that, instead, “we had to focus on long-term, strategic change. We had to enhance our intelligence capabilities and upgrade our technology. We had to build upon strong partnerships and forge new friendships, both here at home and abroad”.
Among the challenges he faced were the revelations that the FBI circumvented the law to obtain thousands of phone call records for terrorism investigations.
