"With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away" on Friday night, his family told the AP in a statement.

"His family asks that their privacy be respected. "

Mueller previously led the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013, taking the office just days before the 11 September 2001 terror attacks.

He is credited with reshaping it into a modern counterterrorism agency.

"In 2001, only one week into the job as the sixth director of the FBI, Bob transitioned the agency mission to protecting the homeland after September 11," he said.

"He led the agency effectively, helping prevent another terrorist attack on US soil. " Obama called him "one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI" and commended his "relentless commitment to the rule of law and his unwavering belief in our bedrock values".

Former FBI director James Comey, who succeeded Mueller at the agency and whose abrupt firing by Trump led to the Mueller investigation said: "A great American died today, one I was lucky enough to learn from and stand beside. "

As a lieutenant, Mueller led a platoon of troops, was wounded twice in battle and was awarded numerous commendations, including the Bronze Star for valour and a Purple Heart.

In August 2001, Mueller was unanimously confirmed as FBI director by the US Senate and he served at the agency for more than a decade.

But four years later, Mueller found himself at the center of a political maelstrom that consumed Washington and would later define his legacy.

His investigation into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election – and the potential involvement of Trump and his campaign – were a near daily source of intrigue and speculation for nearly two years, from May 2017 to March 2019.

The court filings of his special counsel's office were meticulously picked apart, with each new revelation a potential bombshell that could, depending on one's perspective, bring down a president or destroy a nation.

Trump condemned Mueller's inquiry as a "witch hunt" and a "hoax", viewing the special counsel as one of his greatest political adversaries. Trump frequently said there had been "no collusion" between his campaign and Russia. During the investigation, Mueller's team scrutinised Russia's actions as well as several of Trump's top campaign staff and allies. Despite his work frequently making headlines, Mueller himself rarely spoke publicly. "I did not always agree with everything that Robert Mueller did," Andrew Weissmann, a member of Mueller's team, told the BBC. "I think it's really important for people to know how much integrity and how much thoughtfulness went into his decision-making and how much faith he had - maybe more than I did - in the American people, in citizens and in Congress

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