Robert Mueller

**Robert Swan Mueller III** (; born August 7, 1944) is an American lawyer and civil servant. He was the sixth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from 2001 to 2013. He is a Republican. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and his original ten-year term was given a two-year extension by President Barack Obama.

Mueller is the longest-serving FBI director since J. Edgar Hoover. He is currently head of the Special Counsel investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.

In August 2025, it was announced that Mueller had Parkinson's disease.

## Other websites

- Profile at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and staff
- Robert Mueller

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Robert Mueller
- **image**: Director Robert S. Mueller- III.jpg
- **caption**: Official portrait, 2011
- **office**: Mueller special counsel investigation, Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice
- **appointer**: Rod Rosenstein
- **term start**: May 17, 2017
- **term end**: May 29, 2019
- **predecessor**: Position established
- **successor**: Position abolished
- **office1**: 6th Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- **president1**: George W. Bush
Barack Obama
- **deputy1**: Thomas J. Pickard
Bruce J. Gebhardt
John S. Pistole
Timothy P. Murphy
Sean M. Joyce
- **term start1**: September 4, 2001
- **term end1**: September 4, 2013
- **predecessor1**: Thomas J. Pickard (acting)
- **successor1**: James Comey
- **office2**: United States Deputy Attorney General
- **status2**: Acting
- **president2**: George W. Bush
- **term start2**: January 20, 2001
- **term end2**: May 10, 2001
- **predecessor2**: Eric Holder
- **successor2**: Larry Thompson (lawyer), Larry Thompson
- **office3**: United States Attorney for the Northern District of California
- **president3**: Bill Clinton
George W. Bush
- **term start3**: August 1998
- **term end3**: August 2001
- **predecessor3**: Michael Yamaguchi
- **successor3**: Kevin V. Ryan
- **office4**: United States Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division, Criminal Division
- **president4**: George H. W. Bush
- **term start4**: August 1990
- **term end4**: January 1993
- **predecessor4**: Edward Dennis
- **successor4**: Jo Ann Harris (federal prosecutor), Jo Ann Harris
- **office5**: United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, District of Massachusetts
- **president5**: Ronald Reagan
- **termlabel5**: Acting
- **term start5**: October 10, 1986
- **term end5**: April 6, 1987
- **predecessor5**: Bill Weld
- **successor5**: Frank L. McNamara Jr.
- **birth name**: Robert Swan Mueller III
- **party**: Republican Party (United States), Republican
- **children**: 2
- **education**: Princeton University
New York University
University of Virginia
- **serviceyears**: 1968–1971
- **rank**:  Captain (United States O-3), Captain
- **unit**: H Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division (United States), 3rd Marine Division
- **commands**: Platoon commander
- **battles**: Vietnam War
- **mawards**: Bronze Star Medal w/ Combat "V"
Purple Heart Medal
Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2) w/ Combat "V"
Combat Action Ribbon
Gallantry Cross (Vietnam), Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross