Trump cheers Mueller’s death, says former special counsel ‘can no longer hurt innocent people’

Robert Mueller, the former FBI director and special counsel who led the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, died Friday at age 81 — and the news drew a swift, celebratory reaction from President Trump, who called the investigation a “witch hunt” throughout much of his political career.

“Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after news of Mr. Mueller’s death broke Saturday, signing the post “President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

The president’s remarks, which came within minutes of the announcement, encapsulated the bitter hostility Mr. Trump harbored toward Mr. Mueller for years. Throughout his first term and into his second, Mr. Trump repeatedly branded the investigation a “witch hunt,” a “scam” and a “hoax” and called it hundreds of times by those names in public statements.

Mr. Mueller’s family announced his passing in a statement Saturday, saying he died Friday night. “With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away last night,” the family said. “His family asks that their privacy be respected.” His cause of death was not immediately disclosed, though his family revealed last August that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2021.

Mr. Mueller served as FBI director from 2001 to 2013 before being appointed special counsel in May 2017 to oversee the Justice Department’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. His 448-page report, released in April 2019, did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia but documented extensive contacts between campaign associates and Russian officials, and laid out substantial evidence related to potential obstruction of justice without reaching a legal conclusion.