Robert Mueller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Mueller
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Official portrait, 2011
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| Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice | |
| In office May 17, 2017 – May 29, 2019 |
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| Appointed by | Rod Rosenstein |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| 6th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation | |
| In office September 4, 2001 – September 4, 2013 |
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| President | |
| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Thomas J. Pickard (acting) |
| Succeeded by | James Comey |
| United States Deputy Attorney General | |
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Acting
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| In office January 20, 2001 – May 10, 2001 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Eric Holder |
| Succeeded by | Larry Thompson |
| United States Attorney for the Northern District of California | |
| In office August 1998 – August 2001 |
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| President |
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| Preceded by | Michael Yamaguchi |
| Succeeded by | Kevin V. Ryan |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division | |
| In office August 1990 – January 1993 |
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| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Edward Dennis |
| Succeeded by | Jo Ann Harris |
| United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | |
| Acting October 10, 1986 – April 6, 1987 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Bill Weld |
| Succeeded by | Frank L. McNamara Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Swan Mueller III
August 7, 1944 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Ann Cabell Standish
(m. 1966) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1968–1971 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | H Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division |
| Commands | Platoon commander |
| Battles/wars |
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| Awards |
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Robert Swan Mueller III (born August 7, 1944) is an American lawyer. He is best known for serving as the sixth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013. He also worked as a special counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Mueller studied at Princeton University and New York University. He served as a Marine Corps officer during the Vietnam War. For his bravery, he received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. After his military service, he went to law school at the University of Virginia School of Law. Mueller is a registered Republican. He was appointed to important government jobs by several presidents, including George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.
Throughout his career, Mueller worked in both government and private law firms. He was a prosecutor, a top lawyer for the U.S. government, and a partner at a law firm. He is the only FBI Director since 1972 to serve longer than the usual 10-year limit. Congress gave him a special two-year extension.
In May 2017, Mueller was chosen by Rod Rosenstein, the Deputy Attorney General, to be a special counsel. His job was to investigate claims of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He finished his investigation and gave his report to Attorney General William Barr in March 2019. The report was made public in April 2019. Mueller left his special counsel role in May 2019.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Swan Mueller III was born on August 7, 1944, in New York City. He was the first child of Alice and Robert Swan Mueller Jr. He has four younger sisters. His father was a business executive and served in the United States Navy during World War II.
Mueller grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. He attended Princeton Country Day School. For high school, he went to St. Paul's School in New Hampshire. There, he was captain of the soccer, hockey, and lacrosse teams. He also won an award for being the school's best athlete in 1962.
After high school, Mueller went to Princeton University. He continued to play lacrosse. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics in 1966. In 1967, he received a Master of Arts degree in international relations from New York University.
In 1968, Mueller joined the United States Marine Corps. After his military service, he studied law at the University of Virginia School of Law. He graduated in 1973.
Military Service
Mueller decided to join the military after his Princeton lacrosse teammate, David Spencer Hackett, died in the Vietnam War. Mueller said that losing his friend made him feel he should also serve.
In 1968, Mueller was accepted into officer training for the United States Marine Corps. He went through tough training, including Army Ranger School. He later said Ranger School was the most valuable because it taught him how to handle difficult situations.
In the summer of 1968, he was sent to South Vietnam. He led a rifle platoon as a second lieutenant. In December 1968, during a battle, he showed great bravery. He rescued a wounded Marine while under enemy fire. For this, he received the Bronze Star Medal with a "V" device for valor. In April 1969, he was wounded in the thigh by enemy gunfire. He recovered and returned to lead his platoon until June 1969.
For his service in Vietnam, Mueller received several military awards. These include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal (for being wounded), and two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals. He also received the Combat Action Ribbon and the South Vietnam Gallantry Cross.
Mueller thought about making the Marines his career. However, he found non-combat life in the corps less exciting. He left active duty in August 1970 as a captain.
Mueller has said he feels lucky to have survived Vietnam. He believes this experience made him want to contribute to society. In 2009, he shared that he was most proud that the Marine Corps found him worthy of leading other Marines.
Career in Law and Government
Early Legal Work
After finishing law school in 1973, Mueller worked as a lawyer in San Francisco. In 1976, he started working for the United States Attorney's office. He became the chief of the criminal division in San Francisco. In 1982, he moved to Boston. There, he worked as an Assistant United States Attorney. He investigated and prosecuted important cases involving financial fraud, terrorism, and public corruption.
After working at a law firm in Boston, Mueller returned to government service in 1989. He worked for the United States Department of Justice. He helped the Attorney General and served as acting deputy attorney general.
In 1990, Mueller became the United States Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division. In this role, he oversaw major cases. These included the case against Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega and the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing case. He also oversaw the case against John Gotti, a famous crime boss.
In 1993, Mueller became a partner at a law firm in Boston. He focused on cases involving financial crimes. In 1995, he returned to public service. He worked as a senior lawyer in the homicide section of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. From 1998 to 2001, Mueller was the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California.
Leading the FBI
President George W. Bush chose Mueller to be the director of the FBI on July 5, 2001. Mueller was seen as the top choice for the job. The United States Senate approved his appointment on August 2, 2001, with a unanimous vote of 98–0.
Mueller officially became the FBI director on September 4, 2001. This was just one week before the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
In February 2003, Mueller spoke to the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He warned about countries that support terrorism. He also mentioned concerns that Saddam Hussein might provide dangerous materials to terrorists.
In March 2004, Mueller and then-Deputy Attorney General James Comey threatened to resign. This happened because of a disagreement with the White House over a program that allowed warrantless wiretapping. President Bush later agreed to change the program to address their concerns.
As FBI director, Mueller also stopped FBI staff from taking part in certain harsh interrogation methods used by the CIA. He believed in protecting the rights of individuals.
In May 2011, President Barack Obama asked Mueller to stay on as FBI director for two more years. The Senate approved this request. Mueller served until September 4, 2013, when James Comey took over.
In June 2013, Mueller defended the NSA's surveillance programs. He said these programs could have helped prevent the September 11 attacks. He also stated that the programs followed U.S. law and protected basic rights.
Special Counsel Investigation
On May 17, 2017, Rod Rosenstein, the Deputy Attorney General, appointed Mueller as a special counsel for the United States Department of Justice. His main job was to investigate any connections or coordination between the Russian government and people involved with Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
Mueller's appointment was widely supported by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress. Many praised his honesty and integrity. However, some raised concerns about a possible conflict of interest because of his past relationship with James Comey. Justice Department ethics experts confirmed Mueller was able to serve ethically.
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During the investigation, Mueller's office filed charges against several individuals. These included Paul Manafort, who was Trump's campaign chairman, and Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser. These charges were for things like money laundering and making false statements. Mueller also indicted 13 Russian individuals and 3 Russian companies for trying to influence the 2016 election.
On March 22, 2019, Mueller finished his investigation. He submitted his final report to Attorney General William Barr. A Justice Department official said the report did not recommend any new charges. On March 24, Attorney General Barr shared a summary of the findings with Congress. He stated that the investigation did not find that the Trump campaign worked with Russia to influence the election. Mueller's report also did not say whether President Trump committed obstruction of justice. Barr quoted Mueller as saying the report "does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."
The full report, titled Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election, was released to the public on April 18, 2019.
On May 29, 2019, Mueller announced he was stepping down as special counsel. He spoke publicly about the report for the first time. He said the report itself was his testimony and he would not add anything new. On the topic of obstruction of justice, he explained that a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime. He repeated that the report neither accused nor cleared the president. He stressed that any potential wrongdoing by a president must be handled by a process other than the criminal justice system. Mueller confirmed that Russian agents made "multiple, systematic efforts" to interfere in the election. He said this issue deserves the attention of every American.
Mueller later testified before two House committees on July 24, 2019. He answered questions from members of Congress, mostly sticking to what was in his report. He said he was "not familiar" with some details outside his investigation. He rejected claims that his investigation was a "witch hunt" or that it fully cleared the President. He warned that foreign interference in American elections continues and is a major threat.
In June 2021, the University of Virginia Law School announced that Mueller would teach a course about his report and the role of a special counsel. In July 2024, a book titled Interference: The Inside Story of Trump, Russia, and the Mueller Investigation was announced. Mueller wrote the introduction for this book, which was written by three of his colleagues from the investigation.
Life Outside Work
Mueller met his wife, Ann Cabell Standish, when they were 17 years old. They married in September 1966. Ann worked as a special-education teacher. They have two daughters and three grandchildren. One of their daughters was born with spina bifida.
In 2001, Mueller was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His Senate confirmation hearings to become FBI director were delayed while he received treatment. He was sworn in after getting a good health report from his doctor.
Mueller was raised Presbyterian but later became an Episcopalian.
Mueller and William Barr, who was the Attorney General during the end of Mueller's special counsel investigation, have been friends since the 1980s. Their wives also attend Bible study together.
Military Awards
Mueller received the following military awards and decorations:
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| Bronze Star w/Combat V | |||
| Purple Heart Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/ Combat V and service star | Combat Action Ribbon | |
| Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation | National Defense Service Medal | Vietnam Service Medal w/ 4 bronze campaign stars | |
| Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ service star | Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Medal | Vietnam Campaign Medal | |
| Marksmanship Badge for rifle | Expert Marksmanship Badge for pistol | ||
| Ranger tab | Parachutist Badge | ||
See also
In Spanish: Robert Mueller para niños
