Former chief of the FBI and ex-special counsel in the probe into alleged Trump-Russia ties, Robert Mueller, has passed away
US President Donald Trump has gloated over the death of Robert Mueller, a key figure behind the Russiagate probe, stating he will no longer be able to “hurt innocent people.”
Mueller, who led the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013, passed away on Saturday, aged 81. Between 2017 and 2019, he was a special counsel overseeing the probe into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and related issues, including alleged ties between Trump and Moscow.
Shortly after the news of Mueller’s death broke, the US president took to his Truth Social platform to openly celebrate the occasion.
“Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!” Trump wrote.
Trump has maintained for years that the ‘Russiagate’ investigation was a politically-motivated “witch hunt” and even an “attempted coup” designed to derail his first term in office. After regaining the White House last January, the US president has actively demanded retribution against those involved in the probe.
The investigation led by Mueller was built upon the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA), which served as a cornerstone of the narrative alleging collusion between Donald Trump’s campaign and Moscow ahead of the 2016 election. Both Trump and top Russian officials repeatedly denied having any ties. While Mueller’s probe ultimately found no evidence that Trump or any of his aides “coordinated” with Moscow to influence the 2016 polls, the scandal deeply impacted US foreign policy and domestic politics, triggering sanctions against Russia.
Last year, the White House launched a probe into the Russiagate hoax, with multiple former top officials subpoenaed during the investigation. The probe has been led by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who described the affair as a “treasonous conspiracy” and a “years-long coup” undertaken during Trump’s first term. Gabbard has released multiple documents amid the probe, which suggested a coordinated smear campaign apparently staged by top Democrats and Obama-era intelligence officials and potentially linked to billionaire George Soros.