Robert Mueller: Former FBI Director and Russia Special Counsel Dies at 8

Robert Mueller was an American lawyer and public servant who served as the sixth Director of the FBI and later as special counsel in the Russia investigation. Born on August 7, 1944, in New York City, he went to Princeton University and served as a Marine Corps officer in the Vietnam War.

In Vietnam Mueller led a rifle platoon and received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He worked as a federal prosecutor and held senior Justice Department posts before President George W. Bush named him FBI Director in 2001, a week before the September 11 attacks. He served until 2013, when his term was extended two years by President Barack Obama, a rare exception to the 10-year limit.

In 2017 Mueller was appointed special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, and he delivered his final report in 2019. He later returned to the law firm WilmerHale. He married Ann Cabell Standish in 1966 and had two daughters. His family disclosed in 2025 that he had Parkinson's disease. He died in Charlottesville, Virginia, on March 20, 2026, at age 81.

Achievements: FBI Director (2001-2013), special counsel (2017-2019), Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Birth: August 7, 1944 - New York City.

Profession: Lawyer, prosecutor and FBI Director.

Interesting Facts: He is a Ranger School graduate and a member of the Ranger Hall of Fame. He played lacrosse at Princeton.