Donald Trump has continued his history of making insensitive and crass comments about people who have died by celebrating the death of former FBI director and U.S. war hero Robert Mueller who died March 20 at age 81. Mueller had been battling Parkinson’s disease.
“Good, I’m glad he’s dead,” Trump posted on social media shortly after Mueller’s family announced his passing. Trump’s comment about Mueller’s death fits with Trump’s pattern of making insensitive and crass remarks about people after they pass away.
For example, in 2017 Trump made insensitive comments to the widow of a U.S. soldier who had just died, saying that the soldier knew what he had signed up for. Trump welcomed the death of Sen. John McCain by criticizing McCain for having been shot down while fighting for the U.S. in Vietnam, saying “I was never a fan of John McCain and never will be.” When Congressman John Dingell died, Trump said that he had gone to hell, a comment Dingell’s widow described as really hurting her. Within a day of former Secretary of State Colin Powell dying, Trump blasted him. And, when Former President John F. Kennedy’s granddaughter Tatiana Schlossberg died of brain cancer, Trump unleashed a series of attacks on the Kennedy family. When actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife were murdered Trump called Reiner paranoid and someone who drove people crazy.
In dramatic contrast to what Donald Trump said about Mueller, Former Republican President George W. Bush issued a statement saying, “Laura and I are deeply saddened by the loss of Robert Mueller. Bob dedicated his life to public service. As a Marine in Vietnam, he proved he was ready for tough assignments. He earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart before returning home to pursue law. In 2001, only one week into the job as the 6th Director of the F.B.I., Bob transitioned the agency mission to protecting the homeland after September 11. He led the agency effectively, helping prevent another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Laura and I send our heartfelt sympathy to his wife of nearly 60 years, Ann, and the Mueller family.”
Former President Barack Obama said, “Bob Mueller was one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI, transforming the bureau after 9/11 and saving countless lives. But it was his relentless commitment to the rule of law and his unwavering belief in our bedrock values that made him one of the most respected public servants of our time. Michelle and I send our condolences to Bob’s family, and everyone who knew and admired him.”
The FBI Agents Association issued a statement that also was in sharp contrast to what Trump said, pointing out that Mueller led the FBI “during a period of significant change and played an important role in strengthening its ability to confront evolving national security threats while maintaining its core criminal investigative mission.”
Mueller had been a partner at the WilmerHale law firm, which issued a statement describing him as an “extraordinary leader and public servant and a person of the greatest integrity.”
Mueller earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University in 1966 and joined the Marines the same year. He fought in the Vietnam War and was awarded a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and two Navy Commendation Medals. Mueller also earned a master’s degree from New York University before obtaining a law degree from the University of Virginia.
Mueller joined the U.S. attorney’s office in the Northern District of California in 1976. In 1990, he became assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice’s criminal division. He oversaw several high-profile prosecutions, including the convictions of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega and New York mobster John Gotti.
Mueller returned to private practice for a time and in September 2001 was sworn in as FBI director. Mueller stepped down as FBI director in September 2013.
In May 2017, Mueller was appointed special counsel to oversee the investigation into potential collusion between Donald Trump’s campaign for president in 2016 and Russia. After years of investigation, Mueller’s 448-page report was released in April 2019. The report undercut Trump’s public denials of any contacts between his campaign and Russia. Mueller’s investigation found that two senior Trump campaign officials, Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, shared information with a Russian spy. Mueller discovered that Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and Manafort met with a Kremlin-connected lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016. The investigation also revealed that Trump’s company pursued a deal to build a Trump Tower building in Moscow while Trump was campaigning for president in 2016 even though Trump repeatedly claimed he had no business activities in Russia.
Ultimately, charges were brought against 37 people and entities, and seven people were sentenced to prison, including Roger Stone and Manafort, who were later pardoned by Trump. In all, Mueller secured convictions against six Trump 2016 campaign associates: Stone, Manafort, Gates, Michael Flynn, Michael Cohen and George Papadopoulos.
(Mueller biographical and investigation information from CNN Newsource)
