Washington DC [US], March 22 (ANI): Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who led the investigation into alleged ties between Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and the Russian government, has passed away.

Mueller, who died at 81 years of age, became the sixth FBI director of the US on September 4, 2001, a week before the September 11 attacks, as per Fox News.

US President Donald Trump, in a post on X wrote, 'Robert Mueller just died. Good, I'm glad he's dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP.'

Mueller served as FBI director for 12 years before later becoming special counsel in the Justice Department's investigation of the Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

The family of Robert S Mueller III released the following statement about his death: 'With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away last night. His family asks that their privacy be respected,' as quoted by Fox News.

After the September 2001 attacks, he immediately switched from looking into domestic crimes to combating terrorism, eventually serving presidents from both the parties before his retirement in 2013.

Mueller became special counsel in the Justice Department's investigation into whether the Trump campaign illegally coordinated with Russia to sway the outcome of the 2016 presidential race.

As per the New York Times, which accessed the Mueller report released to the public on April 18, 2019, said that Trump and 18 of his associates had at least 140 contacts with Russian nationals and WikiLeaks, or their intermediaries, during the 2016 campaign and presidential transition. The report revealed at least 30 more contacts beyond those previously known. However, the special counsel said, 'the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges.'

The report also said that Trump was also pursuing a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow and was repeatedly invited to an economic forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, that would be attended by President Vladimir Putin of Russia and other Russian government and business officials.

Very few, if any, of these interactions were publicly known before Mr. Trump took office. (ANI)