Mueller special counsel investigation#Paul Manafort and Rick Gates

The first public US government assertion of Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election came in a joint statement on September 22, 2016, by Senator Dianne Feinstein and House member Adam Schiff, the top Democrats on the Senate and House Intelligence Committees, respectively.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/key-lawmakers-accuse-russia-of-campaign-to-disrupt-us-election/2016/09/22/afc9fc80-810e-11e6-b002-307601806392_story.html|title=Key lawmakers accuse Russia of campaign to disrupt U.S. election|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 29, 2019|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209193713/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/key-lawmakers-accuse-russia-of-campaign-to-disrupt-us-election/2016/09/22/afc9fc80-810e-11e6-b002-307601806392_story.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2016/9/feinstein-schiff-statement-on-russian-hacking|title=Feinstein, Schiff Statement on Russian Hacking|website=United States Senator for California|access-date=March 29, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108210625/https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2016/9/feinstein-schiff-statement-on-russian-hacking|url-status=live}} The US Intelligence Community released a similar statement fifteen days later.{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/us/politics/us-formally-accuses-russia-of-stealing-dnc-emails.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007212236/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/us/politics/us-formally-accuses-russia-of-stealing-dnc-emails.html |archive-date=2016-10-07 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title= U.S. Says Russia Directed Hacks to Influence Elections |first1= David E. |last1= Sanger |first2= Charlie |last2= Savage |date= October 7, 2016 |website=The New York Times }}{{cite web |url= https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/10/07/joint-statement-department-homeland-security-and-office-director-national |title= Joint Statement from the Department Of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security |date= October 7, 2016 |website= Department of Homeland Security |access-date= June 18, 2017 |archive-date= December 10, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161210004335/https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/10/07/joint-statement-department-homeland-security-and-office-director-national |url-status= live }}

In January 2017, an assessment was released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, then headed by Obama appointee James Clapper, which asserted that Russian leadership had favored presidential candidate Donald Trump over rival candidate Hillary Clinton, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally ordered an "influence campaign" to harm Clinton's electoral chances and "undermine public faith in the US democratic process".{{cite report |url=https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf |title=Background to 'Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections': The Analytic Process and Cyber Incident Attribution |author=ODNI |date=January 6, 2017 |publisher=Office of the Director of National Intelligence |access-date=March 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626172540/https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf |archive-date=June 26, 2017 |url-status=live}} The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election by bolstering the candidacies of Trump, Bernie Sanders, and Jill Stein in order to increase political instability in the United States as well as to damage the Clinton presidential campaign.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/russia-mueller-election.html|title=Inside a 3-Year Russian Campaign to Influence U.S. Voters|last1=Shane|first1=Scott|last2=Mazzetti|first2=Mark|date=February 16, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 17, 2018|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217032428/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/russia-mueller-election.html|archive-date=February 17, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=DNI Report: High Confidence Russia Interfered With U.S. Election |magazine=New York |first=Brian |last=Feldman |date=January 6, 2017 |access-date=October 6, 2017 |url=https://nymag.com/selectall/2017/01/report-high-confidence-russia-interfered-with-u-s-election.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021043941/http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/01/report-high-confidence-russia-interfered-with-u-s-election.html |archive-date=October 21, 2017 |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Crossfire Hurricane (FBI investigation)}}

When the special counsel was appointed by Rod Rosenstein in May 2017, the special counsel took over an existing counterintelligence investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and numerous secretive links between Trump associates and Russian officials.{{cite web |last1=Mosk |first1=Matthew |last2=Madden |first2=Pete |title=Robert Mueller takes over FBI's Russia investigation at pivotal moment |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbis-russia-investigation/story?id=47346117 |work=ABC News |access-date=March 23, 2019 |archive-date=November 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108021532/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbis-russia-investigation/story?id=47346117 |url-status=live }} According to reports, Australian officials informed American officials that in May 2016, a Trump presidential campaign adviser, George Papadopoulos, told the Australian High Commissioner to Britain, Alexander Downer, that Russian officials were in possession of politically damaging information relating to Hillary Clinton, the rival presidential candidate to Trump from Democratic Party. Since the FBI, in response to this information, opened an investigation into the links between Trump associates and Russian officials on July 31, 2016, the meeting between Papadopoulos and Downer is considered to be the 'spark' that led to the Mueller investigation.Multiple sources:

1. {{cite web |last1=Zappone |first1=Chris |title=George Papadopoulos spreading disinformation to Australia |url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/george-papadopoulos-spreading-disinformation-to-australia-20181120-p50h33.html |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=After Papadopoulos told Downer in 2016 that Russia possessed damaging material about then-US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Downer told US authorities, helping prompt the investigation led by Robert Mueller. |work=Sydney Morning Herald |date=November 22, 2018 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327032028/https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/george-papadopoulos-spreading-disinformation-to-australia-20181120-p50h33.html |url-status=live }}
2. {{cite web |title=Former Donald Trump aide George Papadopoulos, who was outed by Alexander Downer asks for prison delay |url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/former-donald-trump-aide-george-papadopoulos-who-was-outed-by-alexander-downer-asks-for-prison-delay/news-story/cd7cb4c76fce62b94aae1b2f3fbe6aac |website=news.com.au |date=November 17, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=This information has been described as the starting point that led to an FBI investigation and then the Mueller probe into Russia's efforts to interfere with the 2016 election. |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327063342/https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/former-donald-trump-aide-george-papadopoulos-who-was-outed-by-alexander-downer-asks-for-prison-delay/news-story/cd7cb4c76fce62b94aae1b2f3fbe6aac |url-status=live }}
3. {{cite web |title=Ex-Trump adviser takes aim at Alexander Downer after Mueller report |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/26/ex-trump-adviser-takes-aim-at-alexander-downer-after-mueller-report |work=The Guardian |date=March 26, 2019 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=George Papadopoulos, who famously met Alexander Downer at a London bar in what some have said was a trigger for the Robert Mueller investigation into Trump-Russian collusion |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327032030/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/26/ex-trump-adviser-takes-aim-at-alexander-downer-after-mueller-report |url-status=live }}
4. {{cite news |title=Robert Mueller's report on Trump-Russia probe may name Australians |newspaper=SBS News |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/robert-mueller-s-report-on-trump-russia-probe-may-name-australians |publisher=SBS World News |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=The drinks – Downer and Papadopoulos say they only had one gin and tonic each – were credited with sparking the FBI investigation that eventually led to Mueller's appointment. |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090525/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/robert-mueller-s-report-on-trump-russia-probe-may-name-australians |url-status=live }}
5. {{cite web |title=Alexander Downer interviewed by FBI over Russian interference in US election, report says |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-17/alexander-downer-interviewed-by-fbi-for-russia-probe-us-election/9770018 |website=ABC News |date=May 16, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=The results, summarised and sent to Washington on August 2 last year, reportedly laid the foundations for what is now special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. The breakthrough stemmed from a night of heavy drinking Mr Downer had with former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos at the Kensington Wine Rooms in London in May 2016. |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328194229/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-17/alexander-downer-interviewed-by-fbi-for-russia-probe-us-election/9770018 |url-status=live }}
6. {{cite web |last1=Mitchell |first1=Peter |title=Downer, Papadopoulos, a few gins and the Mueller probe |url=https://www.afr.com/news/politics/world/downer-papadopoulos-a-few-gins-and-the-mueller-probe-20180912-h15a8y |work=The Australian Financial Review |date=September 12, 2018 |archive-date=September 12, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912080836/https://www.afr.com/news/politics/world/downer-papadopoulos-a-few-gins-and-the-mueller-probe-20180912-h15a8y |quote=It was a meeting between Downer and Papadopoulos at London bar the Kensington Wine Rooms in May 2016 that has been credited with sparking the FBI investigation into Russia election interference that then led to the Mueller probe. }}
7. {{cite news |title=Russia probe a hangover from Downer bar talk |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/russia-probe-a-hangover-from-downer-bar-talk/news-story/986fa448f2dc3a298a49ba819b4df8a1 |work=The Australian |date=January 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=Alexander Downer, sparked the chain of events that led to Robert Mueller's probe into alleged Russian interference }}
8. {{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/02/05/a-so-far-complete-timeline-of-the-investigation-into-trump-and-russia/|title=Analysis | A (so far) complete timeline of the investigation into Trump and Russia|newspaper=The Washington Post|quote=July 31, 2016 The FBI begins investigating possible links between the Russian government and Trump's campaign. The investigation is triggered when Australian authorities contact the agency — realizing that Papadopoulos's May mention of Russian dirt to Downer, the diplomat, was validated by the release of stolen data.|access-date=March 27, 2019|archive-date=April 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412043831/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2018/02/05/a-so-far-complete-timeline-of-the-investigation-into-trump-and-russia/|url-status=live}} In February 2018, the Nunes memo, written by staff for U.S. Representative Devin Nunes, stated that the information on Papadopoulos "triggered the opening of" the original FBI investigation,Multiple sources:
9. {{cite web |title=We annotated the full Nunes memo on the Russia probe |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/we-annotated-the-full-nunes-memo-on-the-russia-probe |website=PBS |date=February 2, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=The memo underscores the intensifying partisan debate over special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia. ... The Papadopoulos information triggered the opening of an FBI counterintelligence investigation in late July 2016 by FBI agent Pete Strzok. |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327062831/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/we-annotated-the-full-nunes-memo-on-the-russia-probe |url-status=live }}
10. {{cite web |last1=Emmons |first1=Alex |last2=Aaronson |first2=Trevor |title=Nunes memo accidentally confirms the legitimacy of the FBI's investigation |url=https://theintercept.com/2018/02/02/nunes-memo-fisa-trump-russia/ |work=The Intercept |date=February 2, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=Despite rhetoric that could help to undermine Mueller's investigation, the Nunes memo specifically says that George Papadopoulos sparked the counterintelligence investigation that ultimately led to the resignation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, the firing of FBI Director James Comey, and the appointment of Mueller as special counsel. |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327040643/https://theintercept.com/2018/02/02/nunes-memo-fisa-trump-russia/ |url-status=live }}
11. {{cite web |last1=French |first1=David |title=The Big Flaw in the Memo |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/02/nunes-memo-big-flaw-confirms-new-york-times-story/ |work=National Review |date=February 2, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=Well, if the newly released Nunes memo is correct, House Republicans and the Trump administration just confirmed the Times'scoop ... Ironically enough, the memo in fact confirms the necessity of the Special Counsel Robert Mueller. |archive-date=March 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322015438/https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/02/nunes-memo-big-flaw-confirms-new-york-times-story/ |url-status=live }}
12. {{cite web |last1=Yuhas |first1=Alex |title=What is the Devin Nunes memo about and how does it affect Trump? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/03/what-is-the-nunes-memo-and-why-important |work=The Guardian |date=February 4, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=The four-page document released on Friday is at the heart of a firestorm over Donald Trump, Russia and special counsel Robert Mueller. What's in it? ... the memo acknowledges that Papadopoulos, not Page, "triggered the opening of an FBI counterintelligence investigation in late July 2016". |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327053050/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/03/what-is-the-nunes-memo-and-why-important |url-status=live }}
13. {{cite web |last1=Easley |first1=Jonathan |title=Memo: Papadopoulos info triggered FBI's Russia investigation |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/372043-memo-papadopoulos-info-triggered-fbis-russia-investigation/ |work=The Hill |date=February 2, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=according to the memo released Friday by House Intelligence Committee Republicans ... Russia investigation itself — and by extension, special counsel Robert Mueller's probe — was launched from ... "information" about Papadapoulos, rather than the dossier. |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327062831/https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/372043-memo-papadopoulos-info-triggered-fbis-russia-investigation |url-status=live }}
14. {{cite web |last1=Levitz |first1=Eric |title=6 Quick Takeaways From the Nunes Memo |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/02/5-quick-takeaways-from-the-nunes-memo.html |work=Intelligencer |date=February 2, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |quote=But the memo doesn't just fail to discredit the investigation into the Trump campaign — it actually confirms its validity. The core of the GOP's argument against the Mueller probe has been that it was based on unsubstantiated allegations gathered by a Clinton operative. The memo suggests this might be true of the Carter Page warrant — but not of the broader investigation. |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327063821/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/02/5-quick-takeaways-from-the-nunes-memo.html |url-status=live }}
15. {{cite news |last1=Tucker |first1=Eric |last2=Jalonick |first2=Mary |last3=Day |first3=Chad |title=Trump claims memo 'totally vindicates' him in Russia probe |url=https://apnews.com/7fb0980b01e44421af41e6ef530c20b7 |access-date=March 27, 2019 |work=Associated Press |quote=Even as Democrats described it as inaccurate, some Republicans quickly cited the memo — released over the objections of the FBI and Justice Department — in their arguments that Mueller's investigation is politically tainted. A closer read presents a far more nuanced picture ... the memo confirms the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign began in July 2016, months before the surveillance warrant was sought, and was "triggered" by information concerning campaign aide George Papadopoulos. |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327064835/https://apnews.com/7fb0980b01e44421af41e6ef530c20b7 |url-status=live }} rather than the Steele dossier by Christopher Steele as asserted by Trump and his allies.{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2019/3/22/18277089/fox-news-steele-dossier-lie-trump-witch-hunt|title=Fox News has normalized a lie about the origins of the Russia investigation|first=Aaron|last=Rupar|date=March 22, 2019|website=Vox|access-date=March 23, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108032818/https://www.vox.com/2019/3/22/18277089/fox-news-steele-dossier-lie-trump-witch-hunt|url-status=live}}

The special counsel also took over an FBI investigation on whether President Trump had committed obstruction of justice, which began within eight days after Trump's dismissal of FBI Director James Comey. CNN reported in December 2018 that then-acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe started the investigation based on Comey's firing—which had been recommended in writing by Rosenstein in what became known as the Comey memo—and also Comey's allegation that Trump had asked him to stop investigating Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn.{{cite web|last1=Brown|first1=Pamela|last2=Herb|first2=Jeremy|date=December 7, 2018|title=The frantic scramble before Mueller got the job|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/06/politics/rosenstein-comey-firing-obstruction-probe/index.html|access-date=March 25, 2019|website=CNN|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523231904/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/06/politics/rosenstein-comey-firing-obstruction-probe/index.html|url-status=live}} In February 2019, McCabe confirmed he launched the obstruction of justice investigation for those reasons—before he was fired from the FBI for allegedly lying to FBI agents after he leaked information about investigation into Clinton Foundation to a reporter. He said he gave additional reasons such as Trump's multiple depictions of the investigation into Trump associates and Russia as a "witch hunt", as well as Trump allegedly telling Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to mention the Russia probe in Rosenstein's memo to recommend firing Comey, and Trump's comments to the Russian ambassador and NBC relating Comey's firing to the Russia probe.{{cite web |last1=Pelley |first1=Scott |title=Andrew McCabe: The full 60 Minutes interview |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/andrew-mccabe-60-minutes-interview-full-transcript-watch-acting-fbi-director-trump-investigation-james-comey-russia-investigation-2019-02-17/ |work=CBS News |date=February 14, 2019 |access-date=March 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219060812/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/andrew-mccabe-60-minutes-interview-full-transcript-watch-acting-fbi-director-trump-investigation-james-comey-russia-investigation-2019-02-17/ |archive-date=February 19, 2019}}

File:Attorney General Sessions Statement on Recusal.webm Jeff Sessions issues statement announcing his recusal.]]

A special counsel investigation is subject to oversight by the attorney general.{{cite web |url= https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/600.7 |title= 28 CFR 600.7 – Conduct and accountability |website=Legal Information Institute |publisher=Cornell |access-date= November 10, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181109072156/https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/600.7 |archive-date= November 9, 2018 |url-status= live }} After questions arose regarding contacts between then-senator Jeff Sessions and Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak in 2016, one of the first things Sessions did after being appointed attorney general, was to recuse himself from any Justice Department investigations regarding Russian interference in the election.{{cite news |first1= Mark |last1= Landler |first2= Eric |last2= Lichtblau |date= March 2, 2017 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/jeff-sessions-russia-trump-investigation-democrats.html |title= Jeff Sessions Recuses Himself From Russia Inquiry |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date= November 10, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170302223014/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/jeff-sessions-russia-trump-investigation-democrats.html |archive-date= March 2, 2017 |url-status= live }}

Once Attorney General Sessions recused, oversight of any Russia investigation into the 2016 election fell to the Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a Trump appointee. As part of his oversight, Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller as special counsel in May 2017 with the mandate "to oversee the previously-confirmed FBI investigation of Russian government efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election and related matters".{{cite press release |date=May 17, 2017 |title=Appointment of Special Counsel |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/appointment-special-counsel |publisher=US Department of Justice |access-date=November 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805213959/https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/appointment-special-counsel |archive-date=August 5, 2017 |url-status=live }}

Rosenstein has said he would recuse himself from supervision of Mueller if he himself were to become a subject in the investigation due to his role in the dismissal of Comey.{{cite news | last1=Gurman | first1=Sadie | last2=Tucker | first2=Eric | last3=Horwitz | first3=Jeff | title=Special counsel Mueller's investigation seems to be growing |website=Associated Press |date=June 3, 2017 |url=https://www.apnews.com/2fa69c1f399c485e96cc312f7a5039ec |quote="I've talked with Director Mueller about this," Rosenstein said. "He's going to make the appropriate decisions, and if anything that I did winds up being relevant to his investigation then, as Director Mueller and I discussed, if there's a need from me to recuse, I will." |access-date=June 4, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170604113644/https://www.apnews.com/2fa69c1f399c485e96cc312f7a5039ec |archive-date=June 4, 2017 }}

{{Main|Dismissal of James Comey}}

The special counsel appointment on May 17, 2017, came after protests, mostly from Democrats, over President Trump firing the FBI Director James Comey on May 9, 2017.{{cite web |last1=Taylor |first1=Jessica |last2=Johnson |first2=Carrie |title=Former FBI Director Mueller Appointed As Special Counsel To Oversee Russia Probe |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/05/17/528846598/former-fbi-director-mueller-appointed-special-counsel-to-oversee-russia-probe |website=NPR |access-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-date=October 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027213600/https://www.npr.org/2017/05/17/528846598/former-fbi-director-mueller-appointed-special-counsel-to-oversee-russia-probe |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Parks |first1=Miles |last2=Farrington |first2=Dana |last3=Taylor |first3=Jessica |title=The James Comey Saga, In Timeline Form |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/05/15/527773206/what-just-happened-the-james-comey-saga-in-timeline-form |website=NPR |date=May 15, 2017 |access-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-date=October 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020184334/https://www.npr.org/2017/05/15/527773206/what-just-happened-the-james-comey-saga-in-timeline-form |url-status=live }} In Congress, in reaction to Comey's firing, over 130 Democratic lawmakers called for a special counsel to be appointed, over 80 Democratic lawmakers called for an independent investigation, while over 40 Republican lawmakers expressed questions or concerns.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/10/us/politics/congress-statements-comey.html|title=How Every Lawmaker Has Reacted to Comey's Firing So Far|work=The New York Times|date=May 10, 2017|access-date=March 25, 2019|last1=Carlsen|first1=Audrey|last2=Davis|first2=Kenan|last3=Lee|first3=Jasmine C.|last4=Lai|first4=K. K. Rebecca|last5=Fessenden|first5=Ford|last6=Pearce|first6=Adam|archive-date=October 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019185201/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/10/us/politics/congress-statements-comey.html|url-status=live}} Complicating the situation, Comey arranged to leak to the press classified information, notes from an interview with the president where Trump asked him to end the probe into Michael Flynn.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/08/politics/james-comey-testimony-donald-trump/index.html|title=James Comey hoped leak would lead to special counsel on Russia|last=Collinson|first=Stephen|date=June 8, 2017|publisher=CNN|access-date=March 24, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108082650/https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/08/politics/james-comey-testimony-donald-trump/index.html|url-status=live}} Comey would later be rebuked by the Department of Justice's Office of Inspector General for this action.Mark Moore, Bob Fredericks and Aaron Feis, "James Comey violated FBI rules, set 'dangerous example' by leaking memo: DOJ watchdog", New York Post, August 29, 2019. Trump fired Comey on the recommendations of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein,{{cite news |first=Rebecca R. |last=Ruiz |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/us/politics/robert-mueller-special-counsel-russia-investigation.html |title=Robert Mueller, Former F.B.I. Director, Named Special Counsel for Russia Investigation |work=The New York Times |date=May 17, 2017 |access-date=May 18, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170517231201/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/us/politics/robert-mueller-special-counsel-russia-investigation.html |archive-date=May 17, 2017 }} although Deputy Director of the FBI Andrew McCabe claimed Rosenstein did not want to write the recommendation to fire Comey, and only did so because Trump ordered him to.{{cite web |last1=Swaine |first1=Jon |title=Rosenstein did not want to write memo justifying Comey firing – new book |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/08/rosenstein-did-not-want-to-write-memo-justifying-comey-firing-new-book |website=The Guardian |access-date=18 August 2023 |date=8 February 2019 |archive-date=February 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190208234508/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/08/rosenstein-did-not-want-to-write-memo-justifying-comey-firing-new-book |url-status=live }}

The New York Times reported on January 11, 2019, that FBI counterintelligence grew concerned about Trump's ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign but held off opening an investigation because of uncertainty about how to proceed on such a sensitive matter. Trump's behavior during the days immediately before and after Comey's firing caused them to begin investigating whether Trump had been working on behalf of Russia against U.S. interests, knowingly or unknowingly. The FBI merged that counterintelligence investigation with a criminal obstruction of justice investigation related to Comey's firing. Mueller took over that investigation upon his appointment, although it was not immediately clear if he had pursued the counterintelligence angle.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/us/politics/fbi-trump-russia-inquiry.html|title=F.B.I. Opened Inquiry Into Whether Trump Was Secretly Working on Behalf of Russia|date=January 11, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112033139/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/us/politics/fbi-trump-russia-inquiry.html|archive-date=January 12, 2019|url-status=live}}

The New York Times reported in August 2020 that Rosenstein curtailed a May 2017 FBI inquiry into Trump's personal and financial dealings in Russia, giving the bureau the impression that the special counsel would investigate it, though Rosenstein instructed Mueller not to.{{Cite news|last=Schmidt|first=Michael S.|date=August 30, 2020|title=Justice Dept. Never Fully Examined Trump's Ties to Russia, Ex-Officials Say|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/30/us/politics/trump-russia-justice-department.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200830151202/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/30/us/politics/trump-russia-justice-department.html |archive-date=2020-08-30 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Basu|first=Zachary|title=NYT: Rosenstein secretly curtailed counterintelligence probe into Trump's Russia ties|url=https://www.axios.com/rod-rosenstein-trump-russia-c005394f-1fc5-4097-9e1f-04b3c99b831f.html|website=Axios|date=August 30, 2020|access-date=August 30, 2020|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126023410/https://www.axios.com/rod-rosenstein-trump-russia-c005394f-1fc5-4097-9e1f-04b3c99b831f.html|url-status=live}}

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in his role as Acting Attorney General for matters related to the campaign due to the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, appointed Mueller, a former Director of the FBI, to serve as Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) with authority to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, including exploring any links or coordination between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government; "any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation"; and any other matters within the scope of 28 C.F.R. § 600.4(a).{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/17/us/politics/document-Robert-Mueller-Special-Counsel-Russia.html |title=Rod Rosenstein's Letter Appointing Mueller Special Counsel |author-link=Rod Rosenstein |last1=Rosenstein |first1=Rod |date=May 17, 2017 |work=The New York Times|url-status=live |access-date=May 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518015032/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/17/us/politics/document-Robert-Mueller-Special-Counsel-Russia.html |archive-date=May 18, 2017 }}

As Rosenstein later informed Congress, he elected to use a Special Counsel rather than have the FBI itself oversee the investigation because he did not believe acting Director of the FBI Andrew McCabe was the right person to lead the investigation. Instead, he would appoint a Special Counsel, as had been done in the past. U.S. Attorneys serve as special counsel, but in May 2017 there were only three Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorneys serving at the time, the Senate having not yet confirmed the new president's nominees, and those three had remained as holdovers from the previous administration pending the arrival of the new attorneys. As a result, Rosenstein decided to select Robert Mueller, though he was retired, because of his reputation.{{Cite news|last=Zapotosky|first=Matt|title=Rosenstein says, in hindsight, he would not have signed application to surveil former Trump campaign adviser|language=en-US|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/rosenstein-to-testify-as-first-witness-in-senate-committees-latest-examination-of-russia-probe/2020/06/02/19b81e04-a50c-11ea-b473-04905b1af82b_story.html|access-date=2020-12-24|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=October 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007161821/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/rosenstein-to-testify-as-first-witness-in-senate-committees-latest-examination-of-russia-probe/2020/06/02/19b81e04-a50c-11ea-b473-04905b1af82b_story.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Rod Rosenstein defends Mueller appointment, approval of FISA applications in Russia probe|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/former-deputy-ag-rod-rosenstein-face-questions-over-russia-probe-n1223371|access-date=2020-12-24|website=NBC News|date=June 3, 2020 |language=en|archive-date=December 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214052529/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/former-deputy-ag-rod-rosenstein-face-questions-over-russia-probe-n1223371|url-status=live}}{{cite web|date=June 3, 2020|first1=Ian|last1=Schwartz|title=Rosenstein: If I Knew Then What I Know Now I Would Not Have Signed Warrant Application For Carter Page|url=https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/06/03/rosenstein_if_i_knew_then_what_i_know_now_i_would_not_have_signed_warrant_application_for_carter_page.html|access-date=2020-12-24|website=www.realclearpolitics.com|archive-date=January 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103004514/https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/06/03/rosenstein_if_i_knew_then_what_i_know_now_i_would_not_have_signed_warrant_application_for_carter_page.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=READ: Rosenstein's opening statement before Judiciary Committee|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/politics/rosenstein-opening-statement-transcript/index.html|access-date=2020-12-24|website=CNN|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114110703/https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/politics/rosenstein-opening-statement-transcript/index.html|url-status=live}}

As special counsel, Mueller had the power to issue subpoenas,{{cite news|first=Kevin|last=Johnson|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/17/justice-department-taps-former-fbi-director-robert-mueller-special-counsel-russia-investigation/101806472/ |title=Justice Department taps former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel for Russia investigation| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170709084923/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/17/justice-department-taps-former-fbi-director-robert-mueller-special-counsel-russia-investigation/101806472/ |archive-date=July 9, 2017| work=USA Today|date=May 17, 2017}} hire staff members, request funding, and prosecute federal crimes in connection with the election interference along with other crimes he may uncover.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-former-fbi-director-robert-mueller-1495058507-htmlstory.html |title=Former FBI Director Robert Mueller named special prosecutor for Russia investigation |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 17, 2017 |access-date=May 17, 2017 |last=Tanfani |first=Joseph |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517223504/http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-former-fbi-director-robert-mueller-1495058507-htmlstory.html |archive-date=May 17, 2017 }} The constitutionality of indicting a sitting president remains an unsettled legal question.{{cite news|date=May 29, 2018 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-a-president-be-indicted/|title=Can a president be indicted?|work=The Hill |access-date=June 2, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180529131210/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-a-president-be-indicted/|archive-date=May 29, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news|first=Adam |last=Liptak |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/29/us/politics/a-constitutional-puzzle-can-the-president-be-indicted.html|title=A Constitutional Puzzle: Can the President Be Indicted?|date=May 29, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=June 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701165326/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/29/us/politics/a-constitutional-puzzle-can-the-president-be-indicted.html|archive-date=July 1, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news |date=May 23, 2018 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/05/presidential-indictment/560957/|title=The Only Way to Find Out If the President Can Be Indicted |first=Garrett |last=Epps |work=The Atlantic |access-date=June 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605070328/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/05/presidential-indictment/560957/|archive-date=June 5, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news|first=Charlie |last=Savage |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/22/us/politics/can-president-be-indicted-kenneth-starr-memo.html|title=Can the President Be Indicted? A Long-Hidden Legal Memo Says Yes|date=July 22, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=June 2, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180531012840/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/22/us/politics/can-president-be-indicted-kenneth-starr-memo.html|archive-date=May 31, 2018|url-status=live}}

File:Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election.pdf version of the Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election was released to the public.]]

The Special Counsel law requires a special counsel to confidentially provide the current attorney general with a report of findings. The attorney general, in this case William Barr, is then required to provide a summary of the findings to Congress, although he has considerable discretion in how much detail he provides. The full release of the Mueller findings to Congress and the public is not assured.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/us/politics/trump-mueller-report.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223013745/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/us/politics/trump-mueller-report.html |archive-date=2019-02-23 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Will the Mueller Report Be Made Public? It's Largely Up to the New Attorney General|first=Katie|last=Benner|date=February 22, 2019|work=The New York Times}} Should Congress be dissatisfied with the summary it is provided, it could subpoena Mueller's full report, and, if necessary, sue in federal court. Congress could also call Mueller to testify.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/24/politics/schiff-subpoena-mueller-report/index.html|title=Schiff: Dems willing to have Mueller testify, subpoena report if it's not made public|first=Caroline|last=Kelly|website=CNN|date=February 24, 2019|access-date=February 24, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108073627/https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/24/politics/schiff-subpoena-mueller-report/index.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/AdamSchiff/status/1099796503659347970|title=The Justice Department cannot take the position that a sitting president can't be indicted, and at the same time withhold evidence of any wrongdoing. That would amount to immunity. We will do what is necessary to make sure Mueller's report is made public.|first=Adam|last=Schiff|author-link=Adam Schiff|date=February 24, 2019|website=Twitter|access-date=February 25, 2019|archive-date=November 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112183650/https://twitter.com/adamschiff/status/1099796503659347970|url-status=live}}

White House attorneys expect to preview whatever findings Barr decides to provide to Congress and the public, in order to consider asserting executive privilege to withhold the release of information gleaned from internal documents and interviews with White House officials.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/18/politics/mueller-report-white-house-see/index.html|title=White House expects to see Mueller findings before they go to Congress|first1=Pamela|last1=Brown|first2=Jeremy|last2=Diamond|first3=Kevin|last3=Liptak|first4=Sarah|last4=Westwood|website=CNN|date=March 18, 2019|access-date=March 20, 2019|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106232853/https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/18/politics/mueller-report-white-house-see/index.html|url-status=live}} Commentators have noted that executive privilege cannot be invoked if the purpose is to shield wrongdoing or unlawful conduct.{{cite web|url=https://www.heritage.org/the-constitution/commentary/executive-privilege-cant-shield-wrongdoing|title=Executive Privilege Can't Shield Wrongdoing|first=Todd|last=Gaziano|website=The Heritage Foundation|access-date=March 21, 2019|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106212422/https://www.heritage.org/the-constitution/commentary/executive-privilege-cant-shield-wrongdoing|url-status=unfit}}{{cite web|url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/primer-executive-privilege-and-executive-branch-approach-congressional-oversight|title=Primer on Executive Privilege and the Executive Branch Approach to Congressional Oversight|date=June 16, 2017|website=Lawfare|access-date=March 21, 2019|archive-date=January 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113122847/https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/primer-executive-privilege-and-executive-branch-approach-congressional-oversight|url-status=live}}

On March 14, 2019, the House voted 420–0 in favor of a non-binding resolution calling for the full special counsel report to be released to Congress and the public, excluding classified or grand jury information.{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/14/politics/house-vote-mueller-resolution-public-release/index.html|title=House passes resolution calling for public release of Mueller report|first=Clare|last=Foran|website=CNN|date=March 14, 2019|access-date=March 17, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108073651/https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/14/politics/house-vote-mueller-resolution-public-release/index.html|url-status=live}} The same day the bill was brought before the Senate for unanimous consent, but was blocked by Senator Lindsey Graham, who said it needed a clause requiring the appointment of a special counsel to investigate allegations against the 2016 Clinton campaign.{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/434124-graham-blocks-resolution-calling-for-mueller-report-to-be-made-public/|title=Graham blocks resolution calling for Mueller report to be made public|last=Carney|first=Jordain|date=March 14, 2019|work=The Hill|access-date=March 23, 2019|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106220219/https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/434124-graham-blocks-resolution-calling-for-mueller-report-to-be-made-public|url-status=live}} On March 15, Trump stated "there should be no Mueller Report" because "this was an illegal & conflicted investigation."{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}} Five days later he stated, "I told the House, 'If you want, let [the public] see it,'" adding, "that's up to the Attorney General."{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/21/politics/donald-trump-robert-mueller-report-public/index.html|title=Why Trump suddenly says public should see Mueller's report|first=Stephen|last=Collinson|website=CNN|date=March 21, 2019|access-date=March 21, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108083430/https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/21/politics/donald-trump-robert-mueller-report-public/index.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-marine-one-departure-34/|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|title=Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure|access-date=March 1, 2021|archive-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120201910/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-marine-one-departure-34/|url-status=live}} On March 25, 2019, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell blocked an effort by minority leader Chuck Schumer for the Senate to take up the same resolution approved by the House eleven days earlier.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/mcconnell-blocks-schumer-effort-call-public-release-mueller-report-n987261|title=McConnell blocks Schumer effort to call for public release of Mueller report|website=NBC News|date=March 25, 2019 |access-date=March 26, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108084236/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/mcconnell-blocks-schumer-effort-call-public-release-mueller-report-n987261|url-status=live}}

The special counsel delivered its report to Attorney General Barr on March 22, 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/22/us/politics/mueller-report-release.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322210604/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/22/us/politics/mueller-report-release.html |archive-date=2019-03-22 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Mueller Delivers Report on Russia Investigation to Attorney General|first1=Sharon|last1=LaFraniere|first2=Katie|last2=Benner|date=March 22, 2019|work=The New York Times }} Two days later, on March 24, Barr sent a four-page letter of the report to Congress, describing the conclusions on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and obstruction of justice.

Barr said the report would be delivered to Congress by mid-April, with some redactions of any information that would "potentially compromise sources and methods" or "unduly infringe on the personal privacy and reputational interests of peripheral third parties".{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mueller-report-will-be-delivered-by-mid-april-if-not-sooner-attorney-general-tells-congress/2019/03/29/288a3692-524c-11e9-a3f7-78b7525a8d5f_story.html|title=Mueller report will be delivered by 'mid-April, if not sooner,' attorney general tells Congress|first1=Devlin|last1=Barrett|first2=Karoun|last2=Demirjian|date=March 29, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 29, 2019|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125024905/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mueller-report-will-be-delivered-by-mid-april-if-not-sooner-attorney-general-tells-congress/2019/03/29/288a3692-524c-11e9-a3f7-78b7525a8d5f_story.html|url-status=live}} A two-volume redacted version of the full report was publicly released on April 18, 2019.{{cite web |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/18/special-counsel-robert-mueller-report-justice-department-release-investigation-trump-russia/3330151002/ |title= Mueller report documents links between Trump campaign and Russia, steps to thwart probe; finds no conspiracy |website= USA Today |language= en |access-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190418130157/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/18/special-counsel-robert-mueller-report-justice-department-release-investigation-trump-russia/3330151002/ |url-status= live }} A less-redacted version of the report will eventually provided to a limited number of members of Congress.{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/us/politics/barr-mueller-report-delivery.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415161331/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/us/politics/barr-mueller-report-delivery.html |archive-date=2019-04-15 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title= Mueller Report Will Be Released Thursday, Justice Dept. Says |work=The New York Times |date= April 15, 2019 |access-date= April 15, 2019 |first= Katie |last= Benner }}{{cite news |url= https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/17/politics/redacted-mueller-report-congress/index.html |title= Justice Dept. to release two versions of redacted Mueller report |first= Katelyn |last= Polantz |website= CNN |date= April 17, 2019 |access-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-date= January 26, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210126082126/https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/17/politics/redacted-mueller-report-congress/index.html |url-status= live }}

On August 3, 2017, Mueller empaneled a grand jury in Washington, D.C., as part of his investigation. The grand jury has the power to subpoena documents, require witnesses to testify under oath, and issue indictments for targets of criminal charges if probable cause is found.

The Washingtonian grand jury is separate from an earlier Virginian grand jury investigating Michael Flynn; the Flynn case has been absorbed into Mueller's overall investigation.{{cite news |last1=Wilber |first1=Del Quentin |last2=Tau |first2=Byron |title=Special Counsel Robert Mueller Impanels Washington Grand Jury in Russia Probe |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/special-counsel-mueller-impanels-washington-grand-jury-in-russia-probe-1501788287 |access-date=August 4, 2017 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=August 3, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170803232126/https://www.wsj.com/articles/special-counsel-mueller-impanels-washington-grand-jury-in-russia-probe-1501788287 |archive-date=August 3, 2017 }}

The grand jury has issued subpoenas to those involved in the Trump Tower meeting held on June 9, 2016, at Trump Tower, which was also the location of Trump's presidential campaign headquarters.{{cite news |last1=Liptak |first1=Kevin |last2=Brown |first2=Pamela |title=Mueller issues grand jury subpoenas |url= http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/03/politics/mueller-grand-jury/index.html |access-date=August 4, 2017 |website=CNN |date=August 3, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804004225/http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/03/politics/mueller-grand-jury/index.html |archive-date=August 4, 2017 }}

• Rinat Akhmetshin, a Russian-born lobbyist and former Soviet Army officer, a participant in the Donald Trump Jr. meeting, testified under oath for several hours on August 11, 2017.{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/eb36aed6-8d87-11e7-a352-e46f43c5825d |title=Russian lobbyist testifies to Mueller grand jury |last=Manson |first=Katrina |date=August 30, 2017 |work=Financial Times |url-status=live |access-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170902045428/https://www.ft.com/content/eb36aed6-8d87-11e7-a352-e46f43c5825d |archive-date=September 2, 2017 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.apnews.com/3bdad0490e26494297f70d8dacbf9d7e |title=Source: Grand jury hears from lobbyist in Trump Tower chat |last1=Day |first1=Chad |first2=Eric |last2=Tucker |date=August 31, 2017 |website=Associated Press |access-date=September 2, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170902001844/https://www.apnews.com/3bdad0490e26494297f70d8dacbf9d7e |archive-date=September 2, 2017 }}
• Sam Clovis, an Iowa radio talk show host who worked on Trump's 2016 Presidential campaign, testified during the week of August 23, 2017.{{cite news |date=October 31, 2017 |first1=Ken |last1=Dilanian |first2=Mike |last2=Memoli |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/top-trump-campaign-aide-clovis-spoke-mueller-team-grand-jury-n816106|title=Top Trump campaign aide Clovis spoke to Mueller team, grand jury|website=NBC News|access-date=April 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410004140/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/top-trump-campaign-aide-clovis-spoke-mueller-team-grand-jury-n816106|archive-date=April 10, 2018|url-status=live}}
• Jason Maloni, spokesman for Paul Manafort, testified under oath for more than two hours on September 15, 2017.{{Cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/manafort-spokesman-testifies-to-russia-grand-jury-for-more-than-two-hours/2017/09/15/5dc2eede-9a2f-11e7-82e4-f1076f6d6152_story.html |title=Manafort spokesman testifies to Russia grand jury for more than two hours |last1=Hamburger |first1=Tom |date=September 15, 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=September 17, 2017 |last2=Hsu |first2=Spencer S. |issn=0190-8286 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170917060449/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/manafort-spokesman-testifies-to-russia-grand-jury-for-more-than-two-hours/2017/09/15/5dc2eede-9a2f-11e7-82e4-f1076f6d6152_story.html |archive-date=September 17, 2017 }} Maloni was employed by Manafort following the five months he served as Chairman of Trump's campaign for president in 2016, to answer questions about Manafort's involvement in Trump's campaign.
• Carter Page, a former foreign-policy adviser to Trump's presidential campaign{{cite news |first1=Jeremy |last1=Herb |first2=Manu |last2=Raju |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/17/politics/carter-page-subpoena-senate-intel-committee/index.html |title=Carter Page subpoenaed by Senate intel committee|date=October 17, 2017|website=CNN|access-date=January 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124004716/http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/17/politics/carter-page-subpoena-senate-intel-committee/index.html|archive-date=January 24, 2018|url-status=live}}{{when|date=April 2018}}
• George Nader, Lebanese-American businessman who unofficially advises UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, testified during the week preceding March 5, 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/06/us/politics/george-nader-special-counsel-mueller-cooperating-seychelles.html|title=Adviser to Emirates With Ties to Trump Aides Is Cooperating With Special Counsel|last1=Mazzetti|first1=Mark|date=March 6, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=March 7, 2018|last2=Kirkpatrick|first2=David D.|issn=0362-4331|last3=Goldman|first3=Adam|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307000026/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/06/us/politics/george-nader-special-counsel-mueller-cooperating-seychelles.html|archive-date=March 7, 2018|url-status=live}}

NBC News reported on August 25, 2017, that "in recent days" the grand jury subpoenaed witness testimony from the executives of six public relations firms, who worked with Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort on lobbying efforts in Ukraine.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mueller-seeks-grand-jury-testimony-pr-execs-who-worked-manafort-n796066 |title=Public relations execs tied to Manafort project get grand jury subpoenas |last1=Dilanian |first1=Ken |date=August 25, 2017 |website=NBC News |access-date=August 26, 2017 |last2=Lee |first2=Carol E. |last3=Winter |first3=Tom |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825234048/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mueller-seeks-grand-jury-testimony-pr-execs-who-worked-manafort-n796066 |archive-date=August 25, 2017}}

On January 16, 2018, The New York Times reported that Steve Bannon was subpoenaed by Mueller to testify before the standing grand jury in Washington, DC.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/16/us/politics/steve-bannon-mueller-russia-subpoena.html|title=Bannon Is Subpoenaed in Mueller's Russia Investigation|last=Schmidt|first=Michael S.|date=January 16, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=January 16, 2018|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116164522/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/16/us/politics/steve-bannon-mueller-russia-subpoena.html|archive-date=January 16, 2018|url-status=live}} Reuters and CNN reported the next day that Bannon had struck a deal with Mueller's team to be interviewed by prosecutors instead of testifying before the grand jury.{{cite news |first1=Karen |last1=Freifeld |first2=Patricia |last2=Zengerle |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia/trumps-ex-aide-bannon-strikes-deal-to-avoid-grand-jury-testimony-cnn-idUSKBN1F61Y7|title=Trump ex-aide Bannon agrees to Mueller probe interview, avoiding...|date=January 18, 2018|website=Reuters|access-date=February 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613040548/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia/trumps-ex-aide-bannon-strikes-deal-to-avoid-grand-jury-testimony-cnn-idUSKBN1F61Y7|archive-date=June 13, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news|date=January 17, 2018 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/17/politics/bannon-mueller-strike-deal/index.html|title=Bannon to do interview with special counsel|first1=Kara|last1=Scannell|first2=Maegan|last2=Vazquez|website=CNN|access-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905210548/https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/17/politics/bannon-mueller-strike-deal/index.html|archive-date=September 5, 2018|url-status=live}} On February 15, 2018, multiple sources reported that those interviews had taken place over several days that week.{{cite news|date=February 15, 2018 |first=Hallie |last=Jackson |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/steve-bannon-met-mueller-multiple-times-over-past-week-n848421|title=Steve Bannon met with Mueller multiple times over past week|website=NBC News|access-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905203108/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/steve-bannon-met-mueller-multiple-times-over-past-week-n848421|archive-date=September 5, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news |date=February 15, 2018 |first=Gabrielle |last=Levy |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2018-02-15/report-steve-bannon-interviewed-by-robert-mueller|title=Steve Bannon interviewed by Robert Mueller|work=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613131906/https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2018-02-15/report-steve-bannon-interviewed-by-robert-mueller|archive-date=June 13, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/374079-bannon-interviewed-by-mueller-twice-in-past-week-report/|title=Bannon interviewed by Mueller in past week: report|first=Brandon|last=Carter|date=February 15, 2018|work=The Hill|access-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612233049/http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/374079-bannon-interviewed-by-mueller-twice-in-past-week-report|archive-date=June 12, 2018|url-status=live}} TMZ reported that Kristin M. Davis, the "Manhattan Madam" who had previously worked for Roger Stone, was subpoenaed in June 2018.{{cite news |website=TMZ |title=Manhattan Madam Kristin Davis Subpoenaed by Robert Mueller |date=July 20, 2018 |url=https://www.tmz.com/2018/07/20/manhattan-madam-kristin-davis-subpoenaed-robert-mueller-trump/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721005450/http://www.tmz.com/2018/07/20/manhattan-madam-kristin-davis-subpoenaed-robert-mueller-trump/ |archive-date=July 21, 2018 |url-status=live }} On August 10, 2018, federal judge Beryl A. Howell found Stone's former aide Andrew Miller to be in contempt of court for refusing to testify before the grand jury.{{cite news|date=August 10, 2018 |first1=Spencer S. |last1=Hsu |first2=Devlin |last2=Barrett |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/witness-in-mueller-probe-refuses-to-appear-before-grand-jury/2018/08/10/73e27130-9ca4-11e8-843b-36e177f3081c_story.html|title=Judge holds Roger Stone associate in contempt for refusing to testify in Russia investigation|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=August 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810163126/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/witness-in-mueller-probe-refuses-to-appear-before-grand-jury/2018/08/10/73e27130-9ca4-11e8-843b-36e177f3081c_story.html|archive-date=August 10, 2018|url-status=live}} Also that day, the Mueller investigation subpoenaed Randy Credico, whom Stone had described as his "backchannel" to Julian Assange.{{cite news |date= August 10, 2018 |url= https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/10/politics/randy-credico-roger-stone-wikileaks/index.html |title= Mueller subpoenas Randy Credico, who Roger Stone says was his WikiLeaks back channel |first= Sara |last= Murray |website=CNN |access-date= August 11, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180811012016/https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/10/politics/randy-credico-roger-stone-wikileaks/index.html |archive-date= August 11, 2018 |url-status= live }} The Wall Street Journal reported on November 14, 2018, that Mueller's investigators are examining whether Stone engaged in witness tampering by intimidating Credico into supporting Stone's assertions.{{cite news |date=November 14, 2018 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/mueller-probes-possible-witness-intimidation-by-roger-stone-1542222284|title=Mueller Probes Possible Witness Intimidation by Roger Stone|first1=Shelby |last1=Holliday |first2=Aruna|last2=Viswanatha|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=November 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114192614/https://www.wsj.com/articles/mueller-probes-possible-witness-intimidation-by-roger-stone-1542222284|archive-date=November 14, 2018|url-status=live}}

Jerome Corsi, former Washington bureau chief of Infowars, was subpoenaed to appear on September 7, 2018, before a Mueller grand jury. Corsi's attorney said he expected his client to be asked about his association with Roger Stone, who had appeared to know in advance that WikiLeaks would release damaging information about the Clinton campaign.{{cite news |first=Maggie |last=Haberman |date=September 5, 2018 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/us/politics/jerome-corsi-subpoena-mueller-investigation.html|title=Jerome Corsi, Conspiracy Theorist, Is Subpoenaed in Mueller Investigation|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905173510/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/us/politics/jerome-corsi-subpoena-mueller-investigation.html|archive-date=September 5, 2018|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Legal teams involved in the Mueller special counsel investigation}}

File:Director Robert S. Mueller- III.jpg was appointed in May 2017 as special counsel.]]

{{anchor|Team members}}

The investigation involved multiple legal teams: the attorneys that took part in the investigation (supervised by Special Counsel Robert Mueller); the team that defended President Trump in his personal capacity; and the team that represented the White House as an institution separate from the President.

According to CNN, as of August 2018, the prosecution team included 15 attorneys, led by Mueller.{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/31/politics/dickey-richardson-leave-mueller/index.html |first=Katelyn |last=Polantz |title=Two prosecutors leave Mueller's office |website=CNN |date=August 31, 2018 |access-date=August 31, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180905152842/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/31/politics/dickey-richardson-leave-mueller/index.html |archive-date=September 5, 2018 |url-status=live }} The additional supporting staff brought the number over 30. There were a few reported departures from Mueller's team.{{cite news |last1=Levine |first1=Mike |last2=Thomas |first2=Pierre |url= https://abcnews.go.com/US/robert-muellers-russia-investigation-team-loses-2nd-fbi/story?id=50166109 |title=Special counsel's Russia investigation team loses 2nd FBI veteran |date= September 28, 2017 |website=ABC News |access-date=December 5, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171204150955/https://abcnews.go.com/US/robert-muellers-russia-investigation-team-loses-2nd-fbi/story?id=50166109 |archive-date=December 4, 2017 |url-status=live }}

The defense had two components: Emmet Flood representing the White House,{{cite news|first1=Matt |last1=Apuzzo |first2=Michael S. |last2=Schmidt |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/02/us/politics/emmet-flood-ty-cobb-white-house-lawyer-special-counsel.html|title=Trump to Add Clinton Impeachment Lawyer Emmet Flood to Replace Ty Cobb|date= May 2, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=May 2, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180502171354/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/02/us/politics/emmet-flood-ty-cobb-white-house-lawyer-special-counsel.html|archive-date=May 2, 2018|url-status=live }} and a team representing Trump personally, including Jay Sekulow, Andrew Ekonomou, Rudy Giuliani, the Raskin & Raskin law firm, and Joanna Hendon. Former members of the defense team include white-collar crimes expert John Dowd{{Cite news|first=Jessica |last=Kwong|url= http://www.newsweek.com/who-trumps-lawyer-john-dowd-has-won-high-profile-white-collar-criminal-cases-735472|title=Trump's lawyer John Dowd has won high-profile white-collar criminal cases|date=December 5, 2017|work=Newsweek|access-date=September 23, 2018| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180823110108/https://www.newsweek.com/who-trumps-lawyer-john-dowd-has-won-high-profile-white-collar-criminal-cases-735472|archive-date=August 23, 2018|url-status=live}} and Ty Cobb representing the office of the presidency.

Mueller's legal team was consistently attacked as biased against President Trump, who once referred to this team as "The 13 Angry Democrats".{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/sean-hannity-mueller-stalin-trump-russia-1083516|title=Sean Hannity compares Robert Mueller to Joseph Stalin's brutal secret police chief in latest attack|first=Jason|last=Le Miere|date=August 21, 2018|website=Newsweek|access-date=April 25, 2019|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020041/https://www.newsweek.com/sean-hannity-mueller-stalin-trump-russia-1083516|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/rush-limbaugh-calls-mueller-report-its-aftermath-manufactured-coup-because-1379437|title=Rush Limbaugh calls Mueller investigation, its aftermath "A Manufactured Coup" because of 2016 election|first=Scott|last=McDonald|date=March 28, 2019|website=Newsweek|access-date=April 25, 2019|archive-date=October 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008003332/https://www.newsweek.com/rush-limbaugh-calls-mueller-report-its-aftermath-manufactured-coup-because-1379437|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-1498343348-htmlstory.html|title=Pro-Trump group launches new attack ad against special counsel Robert Mueller|first=Lisa|last=Mascaro|website=Los Angeles Times|date=July 2, 2017 |access-date=April 25, 2019|archive-date=April 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425181212/https://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-1498343348-htmlstory.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url= https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/993455375755173892|title=Donald J. Trump on Twitter|work=Twitter|access-date=September 10, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180823095533/https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/993455375755173892|archive-date=August 23, 2018}} According to Politifact, while 13 of the 17 team members were indeed Democrats (the rest unaffiliated to either of the two major parties), Mueller is a registered Republican, and choosing to hire or not hire career attorneys on the basis of political affiliation is contrary to both Justice Department policy and federal law.{{Cite news|date=March 21, 2018 |first=Louis |last=Jacobson|url=https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/mar/21/donald-trump/fact-checking-donald-trumps-claims-about-Mueller/ |title=Checking Trump's claims on Mueller team's partisanship|work=PolitiFact|access-date= September 10, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180906035857/https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/mar/21/donald-trump/fact-checking-donald-trumps-claims-about-Mueller/ |archive-date=September 6, 2018|url-status=live}}

As the Mueller investigation progressed, Trump repeatedly expressed anger over Attorney General Sessions' decision to recuse.{{cite web|first1=Jonathan|last1=Karl|first2=Chris|last2=Vlasto|date=March 4, 2017|title=Trump flashes anger over Sessions recusal, Russia stories in tense Oval Office meeting|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-flashes-anger-sessions-recusal-russia-stories-tense/story?id=45908106|website=ABC News|access-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811111958/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-flashes-anger-sessions-recusal-russia-stories-tense/story?id=45908106|archive-date=August 11, 2018|url-status=live}} In July 2017, Trump said that Sessions should have informed him about Sessions' impending recusal before Trump even nominated him, then Trump would have nominated someone else for attorney general.{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=Peter |last2=Schmidt |first2=Michael |last3=Haberman |first3=Maggie |title=Citing Recusal, Trump Says He Wouldn't Have Hired Sessions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/us/politics/trump-interview-sessions-russia.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170719233700/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/us/politics/trump-interview-sessions-russia.html |archive-date=2017-07-19 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The New York Times |date=July 19, 2017 |access-date=March 28, 2019}} In May 2018, Trump said that he wished that he had nominated someone other than Sessions for Attorney General.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/30/politics/donald-trump-jeff-sessions-attorney-general/index.html |title=Trump wishes he hadn't picked Jeff Sessions for attorney general |date=May 30, 2018 |work=CNN |access-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-date=May 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180531210419/https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/30/politics/donald-trump-jeff-sessions-attorney-general/index.html |url-status=live }} In August 2018, Trump declared that Sessions' job was safe at least until the November 2018 United States midterm elections.{{cite news |last1=Micklethwait |first1=John |last2=Talev |first2=Margaret |last3=Jacobs |first3=Jennifer |title=Trump Says He'll Keep Sessions Until November Despite 'Illegal' Probe |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-30/trump-says-sessions-is-safe-at-least-until-the-november-election |website=Bloomberg News |date=August 30, 2018 |access-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-date=August 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802230856/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-30/trump-says-sessions-is-safe-at-least-until-the-november-election |url-status=live }} Sessions resigned as attorney general on November 7, 2018, the day after the midterm elections, writing that he had resigned at Trump's request.{{cite web |title=Jeff Sessions forced out as attorney general |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeff-sessions-resigns-today-2018-jeff-sessions-resigns-forced-out-by-trump-matthew-g-whitaker-interim-attorney-general-live-updates/ |website=CBS News |access-date=March 28, 2019 |date=November 7, 2018 |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328042807/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeff-sessions-resigns-today-2018-jeff-sessions-resigns-forced-out-by-trump-matthew-g-whitaker-interim-attorney-general-live-updates/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news|first1=Devlin |last1=Barrett |first2=Matt |last2=Zapotosky |first3=Josh |last3=Dawsey |date=November 7, 2018 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/attorney-general-jeff-sessions-resigns-at-trumps-request/2018/11/07/d1b7a214-e144-11e8-ab2c-b31dcd53ca6b_story.html|title=Jeff Sessions forced out as attorney general|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181118055812/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/attorney-general-jeff-sessions-resigns-at-trumps-request/2018/11/07/d1b7a214-e144-11e8-ab2c-b31dcd53ca6b_story.html|archive-date=November 18, 2018|url-status=live}}

File:Matthew G. Whitaker official photo.jpg, who served as the Acting Attorney General from November 2018 to February 2019]]

With Sessions' resignation, Trump appointed Matthew Whitaker, Sessions' chief of staff, as Acting Attorney General on November 7, 2018. This meant that Whitaker assumed oversight of the Mueller investigation from Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein.{{cite news|first=Kathryn |last=Krawczyk |url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/806484/rod-rosenstein-no-longer-charge-mueller-probe|title=Rod Rosenstein is no longer in charge of the Mueller probe|date=November 7, 2018|work=The Week|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108012051/https://theweek.com/speedreads/806484/rod-rosenstein-no-longer-charge-mueller-probe|archive-date=November 8, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/07/trumps-acting-attorney-general-matthew-whitaker-will-take-over-mueller-probe-oversight-nbc-news.html|title=Trump's new Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker will take over Mueller probe oversight|first=Kevin|last=Breuninger|date=November 7, 2018|website=NBC News|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107223930/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/07/trumps-acting-attorney-general-matthew-whitaker-will-take-over-mueller-probe-oversight-nbc-news.html|archive-date=November 7, 2018|url-status=live}}

Previously in August 2017, one month prior to joining the Justice Department as Sessions' chief of staff, Whitaker wrote an opinion column for CNN titled "Mueller's investigation of Trump is going too far".{{cite news|date=August 6, 2017 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/06/opinions/rosenstein-should-curb-mueller-whittaker-opinion/index.html |title=Mueller's investigation of Trump is going too far|first=Matthew|last=Whitaker|website=CNN|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014095727/https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/06/opinions/rosenstein-should-curb-mueller-whittaker-opinion/index.html|archive-date=October 14, 2018|url-status=live}} He stated that Mueller's investigation is a "lynch mob", that it should be limited and should not probe into Trump's finances.{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/matthew-whitaker-jeff-sessions-trump-russia-mueller_us_59c58316e4b01cc57ff23f65|title=Jeff Sessions' New Chief Of Staff: Mueller's Russia Probe Could Be A 'Witch Hunt': Matthew Whitaker thinks Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should "order Mueller to limit the scope of his investigation."|date=September 22, 2017|work=HuffPost|last=Reilly|first=Ryan J.|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107214943/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/matthew-whitaker-jeff-sessions-trump-russia-mueller_us_59c58316e4b01cc57ff23f65|archive-date=November 7, 2018|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |first=Glenn |last=Fleishmann |date=November 10, 2018 |url=http://fortune.com/2018/11/09/matthew-whitaker-twitter-account-tweets-mueller-investigation-trump/ |title=Matthew Whitaker Takes His Twitter Account Private, After His Tweet About the 'Mueller Lynch Mob' Reveals Conflicts|work=Fortune|access-date=November 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110053638/http://fortune.com/2018/11/09/matthew-whitaker-twitter-account-tweets-mueller-investigation-trump/|archive-date=November 10, 2018|url-status=live}} Whitaker also argued in 2017 that the Trump Tower meeting was neither improper nor evidence of collusion.{{cite web |last1=Mackey |first1=Robert |date=November 7, 2018 |title=Jeff Sessions Replaced by Aide Who Said Mueller Should Be Barred From Probing Trump Finances |url=https://theintercept.com/2018/11/07/jeff-sessions-replacement-matthew-whitaker-mueller-trump-finances/ |website=The Intercept |access-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-date=September 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910224710/https://theintercept.com/2018/11/07/jeff-sessions-replacement-matthew-whitaker-mueller-trump-finances/ |url-status=live }} The New York Times reported that White House aides and other people close to Trump anticipated that Whitaker would "rein in" the investigation.{{Cite news |first1=Adam |last1=Goldman |first2=Michael D. |last2=Shear |first3=Mitch |last3=Smith|date=November 9, 2018 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/09/us/politics/matthew-whitaker-acting-attorney-general.html |title=Matthew Whitaker: An Attack Dog With Ambition Beyond Protecting Trump|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110074241/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/09/us/politics/matthew-whitaker-acting-attorney-general.html|archive-date=November 10, 2018|url-status=live}}

Whitaker, a vocal Trump supporter, had publicly criticized the Mueller investigation on several occasions before joining the Justice Department in September 2017, asserting it was "going too far" and referring to it as a "lynch mob".{{cite news |date=November 8, 2018 |first=Stephen |last=Gruber-Miller |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2018/11/08/matt-whitaker-acting-attorney-general-what-said-robert-mueller-special-counsel-investigation-iowan/1930243002/ |title=What has new Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker said about the Mueller investigation?|website=The Des Moines Register |access-date=November 19, 2018}} Whitaker is also a personal friend of Sam Clovis,{{cite news |date=November 8, 2018 |work=Salon |first=Matthew |last=Rozsa |title=Matt Whitaker has a close friendship with Sam Clovis, an Iowa politician and witness in the Mueller investigation |url=https://www.salon.com/2018/11/08/mark-whitaker-and-sam-clovis-trumps-new-attorney-general-has-a-major-conflict-of-interest |access-date=November 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118193715/https://www.salon.com/2018/11/08/mark-whitaker-and-sam-clovis-trumps-new-attorney-general-has-a-major-conflict-of-interest/ |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |url-status=live }} a former co-chair of the Trump campaign who has testified to Mueller's investigators and grand jury. Because of his prior statements and involvement,{{cite news |date=November 8, 2018 |first=Kevin |last=Breuninger |title=Acting Attorney General Whitaker's views on Mueller probe prompt calls for recusal from Democrats and legal experts |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/08/acting-ags-views-on-mueller-probe-prompt-warnings-from-experts.html |website=CNBC |access-date=November 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121003347/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/08/acting-ags-views-on-mueller-probe-prompt-warnings-from-experts.html |archive-date=November 21, 2018 |url-status=live }} many Democrats and some Republicans have asserted that Whitaker's potential conflicts of interest require him to recuse himself from overseeing Mueller,{{cite news|first=Mary |last=Papenfuss |date=November 18, 2018 |title=Trump Hammered On Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker By Conservative Group |work=HuffPost |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-getting-scorched-over-whitaker-by-repbulicans_us_5bf0a46fe4b0f32bd58a15fc |access-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120015031/https://www.aol.com/article/news/2018/11/18/trump-attacked-over-acting-attorney-general-matt-whitaker-by-republicans/23592777/|archive-date=November 20, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news |first1=Tom |last1=Hamburger |first2=Rosalind S. |last2=Helderman |date=November 15, 2018|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/warner-intensifies-call-for-whitaker-to-recuse-himself-from-special-counsel-probe-citing-friendship-with-key-witness/2018/11/15/cd1a24fc-e8f6-11e8-bbdb-72fdbf9d4fed_story.html|title=Warner intensifies call for Whitaker to recuse himself from special counsel probe, citing friendship with key witness |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119214512/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/warner-intensifies-call-for-whitaker-to-recuse-himself-from-special-counsel-probe-citing-friendship-with-key-witness/2018/11/15/cd1a24fc-e8f6-11e8-bbdb-72fdbf9d4fed_story.html|archive-date=November 19, 2018|url-status=live}} although Whitaker reportedly indicated he had no intention of doing so.{{cite news |first1=Sonam |last1=Sheth |first2=Grace |last2=Panetta |title=Trump's new acting attorney general, who has publicly railed against Mueller, reportedly will not recuse himself from the Russia probe |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/matthew-whitaker-will-not-recuse-himself-from-mueller-probe-2018-11 |access-date=November 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119214527/https://www.businessinsider.com/matthew-whitaker-will-not-recuse-himself-from-mueller-probe-2018-11 |archive-date=November 19, 2018 |url-status=live |work=Business Insider |date=November 8, 2018 }} Justice Department ethics officials typically review conflicts of interest to recommend recusals,{{cite news|date=November 7, 2018 |first1=Adam |last1=Goldman |first2=Edward |last2=Wong |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/us/politics/whitaker-mueller-trump.html|title=Trump Installs a Critic of the Mueller Investigation to Oversee It|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=November 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109232226/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/07/us/politics/whitaker-mueller-trump.html|archive-date=November 9, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/us/politics/matthew-whitaker-justice-department.html |date=September 26, 2018 |first1=Katie |last1=Benner |first2=Maggie |last2=Haberman|title=Matthew Whitaker, a Trump Loyalist, Is Seen as Ascendant Amid Rosenstein Chaos|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=November 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111054248/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/us/politics/matthew-whitaker-justice-department.html|archive-date=November 11, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news|first1=Devlin |last1=Barrett |first2=Matt |last2=Zapotosky |first3=Josh |last3=Dawsey |date=November 8, 2018 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trumps-acting-attorney-general-matt-whitaker-has-no-intention-of-recusing-from-russia-probe-associates-say/2018/11/08/a5bc8d90-e370-11e8-ab2c-b31dcd53ca6b_story.html |title=Acting attorney general Whitaker has no intention of recusing himself from Russia probe, associates say|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=November 10, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181109220214/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trumps-acting-attorney-general-matt-whitaker-has-no-intention-of-recusing-from-russia-probe-associates-say/2018/11/08/a5bc8d90-e370-11e8-ab2c-b31dcd53ca6b_story.html|archive-date=November 9, 2018|url-status=live}} but their findings are not binding and are usually kept confidential.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

On December 7, 2018, President Trump declared that he would nominate William Barr for the vacant post of Attorney General. Barr was previously Attorney General under President George H. W. Bush.{{cite news |first1=Katherine |last1=Faulders |first2=Jonathan |last2=Karl |first3=Trish |last3=Turner |work=ABC News |title=Trump announces he'll nominate William Barr as next attorney general |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-nominate-william-barr-attorney-general-sources/story?id=59660201 |date=December 7, 2018 |access-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-date=December 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211014224/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-nominate-william-barr-attorney-general-sources/story?id=59660201 |url-status=live }}

During his January 2019 confirmation hearings, Barr suggested the investigation's findings could be withheld from the public, as their release is not mandated by law. In June 2018, Barr had sent an unsolicited 19-page memo to deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein and Trump attorneys arguing that the Special Counsel's approach to potential obstruction of justice by Trump was "fatally misconceived" and that, based on his knowledge, Trump's actions were within his presidential authority.{{cite news |date=January 15, 2019 |access-date=April 26, 2019 |first=Aaron |last=Blake |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/15/barr-confirms-he-shared-his-memo-with-lots-people-around-trump/ |title=Barr confirms he shared his Mueller memo with lots of people around Trump |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=January 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104063541/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/15/barr-confirms-he-shared-his-memo-with-lots-people-around-trump/ |url-status=live }} In June 2017, Barr had characterized the obstruction investigation as "asinine" and that it was "taking on the look of an entirely political operation to overthrow the president". Trump stated in a February 2019 interview that he had not committed to releasing the Mueller report.{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/03/us/politics/trump-interview-mueller.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203221613/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/03/us/politics/trump-interview-mueller.html |archive-date=2019-02-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title= Trump Won't Commit to Making Mueller Report Public|first=Katie|last=Rogers|date=February 3, 2019|work=The New York Times}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/19/politics/bill-barr-comey-obstruction/index.html|title=Trump's pick for attorney general warns Mueller's obstruction inquiry 'fatally misconceived' in memo to DOJ|first1=Ariane|last1=de Vogue|first2=Laura|last2=Jarrett|website=CNN|date=December 19, 2018|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108011558/https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/19/politics/bill-barr-comey-obstruction/index.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/338210-trump-allies-hit-mueller-on-relationship-with-comey/|title=Trump allies hit Mueller on relationship with Comey|first=Will|last=Sommer|date=June 17, 2017|website=The Hill|access-date=February 4, 2019|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106221625/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/338210-trump-allies-hit-mueller-on-relationship-with-comey|url-status=live}}

On February 14, 2019, Barr was sworn in as attorney general after the Senate approved his appointment by a 54–45 vote that day,{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/02/14/694751343/senate-confirms-william-barr-as-next-attorney-general |title=Attorney General William Barr Swears Oath Of Office After Senate Confirmation |work=NPR |first=Philip |last=Ewing |date=February 14, 2019 |access-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-date=November 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109000631/https://www.npr.org/2019/02/14/694751343/senate-confirms-william-barr-as-next-attorney-general |url-status=live }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/02/14/us/politics/william-barr-attorney-general-confirmation-vote.html|title=How Every Senator Voted on Barr's Confirmation as Attorney General|last1=Daniel|first1=Annie|date=February 14, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 28, 2019|last2=Lee|first2=Jasmine C.|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=March 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318164836/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/02/14/us/politics/william-barr-attorney-general-confirmation-vote.html|url-status=live}} thus gaining oversight of the Mueller investigation from Whitaker.{{cite web |last1=Breuninger |first1=Kevin |title=Senate confirms Trump's attorney general pick William Barr, who will now oversee Mueller probe |date=February 14, 2019 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/14/trumps-attorney-general-pick-william-barr-has-enough-senate-votes-to-be-confirmed.html |website=CNBC |access-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-date=July 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708215437/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/14/trumps-attorney-general-pick-william-barr-has-enough-senate-votes-to-be-confirmed.html |url-status=live }}

{{main|Topics of the Mueller special counsel investigation}}

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein authorized Robert Mueller to investigate and prosecute "any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump", as well as "any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation" and any other matters within the scope of 28 CFR 600.4 – Jurisdiction.{{cite web | title=28 CFR 600.4 – Jurisdiction | work=Legal Information Institute |publisher=Cornell | date=July 25, 2016 | url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/600.4 | access-date=February 21, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227020642/https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/28/600.4 | archive-date=February 27, 2018 | url-status=live }}{{cite web|author-link=Rod Rosenstein|last=Rosenstein|first=Rod J.|date=May 17, 2017|url=https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/press-release/file/967231/download|title=Order No. 3915-2017: Appointment of Special Counsel to Investigate Russian Interference with the 2016 Presidential Election and Related Matters|work=Office of the Deputy Attorney General|publisher=United States Department of Justice|location=Washington, D.C.|access-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807044814/https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/967231/download|archive-date=August 7, 2018|url-status=live}}

The investigation's broad scope allowed Mueller to investigate many topics, including: Russian election interference; links between Trump associates and Russian officials; alleged conspiracy between Trump campaign and Russian agents; potential obstruction of justice; financial investigations; lobbyists; Trump as a subject of investigation; other topics; and the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

A cost–benefit analysis of the investigation shows a net benefit for the government, with far more income than expenses.

By December 2018, the investigation had cost approximately $32 million{{cite news|author=Kevin Breuninger|title=Robert Mueller's Russia probe cost nearly $32 million in total, Justice Department says|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/02/robert-muellers-russia-probe-cost-nearly-32-million-in-total-doj.html|access-date=December 22, 2021|archive-date=December 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211222203628/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/02/robert-muellers-russia-probe-cost-nearly-32-million-in-total-doj.html|url-status=live}} but gained approximately $48 million.{{Cite news |last1=McCarthy |first1=Tom |last2=Swaine |first2=Jon |last3=York |first3=Jon Swaine New |date=2019-03-23 |title=Q&A: What does the Mueller report mean for Trump? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/22/mueller-report-what-it-says-what-does-it-mean-for-trump |access-date=2024-08-10 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} More than half of the cost of the investigation was for personnel compensation and benefits. The gains were accrued primarily by uncovering unpaid taxes by targets in the investigation, seizing assets, and collecting fines.{{cite news |date=December 14, 2018 |first=Emily |last=Gillespie |url=http://fortune.com/2018/12/14/mueller-investigation-cost-tax-cheats/ |title=Mueller Investigation Cost $25 Million So Far, Report Says. It's Pulled in Nearly $48 Million from Tax Cheats |website=Fortune |access-date=December 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216042210/http://fortune.com/2018/12/14/mueller-investigation-cost-tax-cheats/ |archive-date=December 16, 2018 |url-status=live}}

{{Main|Criminal charges brought in the Mueller special counsel investigation}}

The Special Counsel indicted 34 people—seven U.S. nationals, 26 Russian nationals, and one Dutch national—and three Russian organizations. Two additional individuals were charged as a result of referrals to other FBI offices.{{cite web |last=Turner |first=Ashley |title=What we know about special counsel Mueller's Russia probe so far |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/22/what-we-know-about-special-counsel-muellers-russia-probe-so-far.html |website=CNBC |access-date=March 25, 2019 |date=March 22, 2019 |archive-date=November 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108003430/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/22/what-we-know-about-special-counsel-muellers-russia-probe-so-far.html |url-status=live }}

File:Paul Manafort at 2016 RNC.jpg speaking to media at the 2016 Republican National Convention]]

Charges were filed against Trump campaign members George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Flynn, and Michael Cohen. Charges were also filed against bank account seller Richard Pinedo,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/richard-pinedo-russia-bank-accounts-guilty-plea-mueller.html |title=Russians Bought Bank Accounts From California Man, Mueller Says|last=Fandos|first=Nicholas|date=February 16, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216234333/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/richard-pinedo-russia-bank-accounts-guilty-plea-mueller.html|archive-date=February 16, 2018|url-status=live}} and lawyer Alex van der Zwaan as well as Paul Manafort associate Konstantin Kilimnik. Also indicted were Russia-based Internet Research Agency and related organizations and individuals directed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, and a group of Russian hackers referred to as Viktor Netyksho, et al.{{cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/file/1080281/download |title=United States of America vs Viktor Netyksho, et al. |website=Justice.gov |publisher=US District Court for the District of Columbia |date=July 13, 2018 |access-date=March 25, 2019 |archive-date=September 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903091842/https://www.justice.gov/file/1080281/download |url-status=live }} On March 16, 2020, the US government dropped the charges against Prigozhin-owned companies Concord Management and Consulting and Concord Catering.{{cite news |last1=Shubber |first1=Kadhim |title=US drops election meddling case against Russia entities |url=https://www.ft.com/content/b649fb68-67e8-11ea-800d-da70cff6e4d3 |work=The Financial Times |date=March 17, 2020 |access-date=April 15, 2020 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126195628/https://www.ft.com/content/b649fb68-67e8-11ea-800d-da70cff6e4d3 |url-status=live }}

Following the guilty plea of Michael Cohen for lying to the Senate Intelligence Committee, ranking member Mark Warner stated the committee had made multiple criminal referrals of individuals to Mueller and continues to examine witness testimonies for other false statements.{{cite web |date=November 29, 2018 |first1=Carol E. |last1=Lee |first2=Kasie |last2=Hunt |first3=Ken |last3=Dilanian |first4=Garrett |last4=Haake |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-committees-scouring-testimony-misleading-statements-russia-probe-n941791 |title=Senate committees scouring testimony for misleading statements in Russia probe |website=NBC News |access-date=December 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201100340/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-committees-scouring-testimony-misleading-statements-russia-probe-n941791 |archive-date=December 1, 2018 |url-status=live }} The Democrat-controlled House Intelligence Committee voted in February 2019 to refer dozens of witness testimony transcripts and thousands of other documents to Mueller's office. Committee Republicans had blocked Democrat efforts to release the documents to Mueller's office when Republicans controlled the Committee in 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-committee-votes-send-documents-mueller-investigations-ramp-n968371|title=House Intelligence Committee votes to send documents to Mueller|website=NBC News|date=February 6, 2019 |access-date=February 7, 2019|archive-date=February 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213053017/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-committee-votes-send-documents-mueller-investigations-ramp-n968371|url-status=live}}

On January 25, 2019, Roger Stone, a long time advisor to Donald Trump, was arrested by the FBI at a pre-dawn raid in Florida.{{cite news |title=Longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone indicted by special counsel in Russia investigation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/longtime-trump-adviser-roger-stone-indicted-by-special-counsel-in-russia-investigation/2019/01/25/93a4d8fa-2093-11e9-8e21-59a09ff1e2a1_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125183324/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/longtime-trump-adviser-roger-stone-indicted-by-special-counsel-in-russia-investigation/2019/01/25/93a4d8fa-2093-11e9-8e21-59a09ff1e2a1_story.html |archive-date=January 25, 2019 |url-status=live }} The indictment filed by the Office of the Special Counsel contained 7 charges, including obstructing an official proceeding, witness tampering, and lying to congress in regard to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election and his involvement with WikiLeaks.{{cite web |title=US v Roger Stone |url=https://www.justice.gov/file/1124706/download |website=justice.gov |publisher=United States Department of Justice |access-date=January 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125114053/https://www.justice.gov/file/1124706/download |archive-date=January 25, 2019 |url-status=live }} In the charging document, prosecutors alleged that, after the first Wikileaks release of hacked DNC emails in July 2016, "a senior Trump Campaign official was directed to contact Stone about any additional releases and what other damaging information [WikiLeaks] had regarding the Clinton Campaign. Stone thereafter told the Trump Campaign about potential future releases of damaging material by [WikiLeaks]." The indictment also alleged that Stone had discussed Wikileaks releases with multiple senior Trump campaign officials. By the time of those contacts, it had been publicly reported that the DNC emails had been hacked by Russians and provided to Wikileaks.{{cite web|first1=Susan |last1=Hennessey |first2=Quinta |last2=Jurecic |first3=Matthew |last3=Kahn |first4=Lev |last4=Sugarman |first5=Benjamin |last5=Wittes |url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/get-me-roger-stone-what-make-dirty-tricksters-indictment|title='Get Me Roger Stone': What to Make of the 'Dirty Trickster's' Indictment|date=January 25, 2019|website=Lawfare|access-date=January 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110054335/https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/get-me-roger-stone-what-make-dirty-tricksters-indictment|archive-date=January 10, 2024|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/25/politics/roger-stone-arrested/index.html|title=Mueller indicts Roger Stone, says he was coordinating with Trump officials about WikiLeaks' stolen emails|first1=Katelyn|last1=Polantz|first2=Sara|last2=Murray|first3=David|last3=Shortell|website=CNN|date=January 25, 2019|access-date=January 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126001840/https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/25/politics/roger-stone-arrested/index.html|archive-date=January 26, 2019|url-status=live}} Stone was convicted of all charges in November 2019, after the conclusion of the investigation and his sentence was commuted by Trump.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/roger-stone-jury-weighs-evidence-and-a-defense-move-to-make-case-about-mueller/2019/11/15/554fff5a-06ff-11ea-8292-c46ee8cb3dce_story.html |title=Roger Stone guilty on all counts in federal trial of lying to Congress, witness tampering |last1=Hsu |first1=Spencer S. |date=November 15, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=November 15, 2019 |last2=Weiner |first2=Rachel |language=en |last3=Zapotosky |first3=Matt |archive-date=December 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212015405/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/roger-stone-jury-weighs-evidence-and-a-defense-move-to-make-case-about-mueller/2019/11/15/554fff5a-06ff-11ea-8292-c46ee8cb3dce_story.html |url-status=live }}

A total of thirty-four individuals and three companies were indicted by Mueller's investigators. Eight have pleaded guilty to or been convicted of felonies, including five Trump associates and campaign officials. None of those five convictions "involved a conspiracy between the campaign and Russians"{{cite web |last1=Jansen |first1=Bart |last2=Vanden Brook |first2=ToM |last3=Johnson |first3=Kevin |last4=Cummings |first4=William |title=Mueller's investigation is done. Here are the 34 people he indicted along the way |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/25/muellers-russia-report-special-counsel-indictments-charges/3266050002/ |work=USA Today |access-date=April 4, 2019 |date=March 25, 2019 |archive-date=March 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328090255/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/25/muellers-russia-report-special-counsel-indictments-charges/3266050002/ |url-status=live }} and "Mueller did not charge or suggest charges for  [...] whether the Trump campaign worked with the Russians to influence the election".{{cite magazine |last=Beckwith |first=Ryan Teague |title=Here Are All of the Indictments, Guilty Pleas and Convictions From Robert Mueller's Investigation |url=https://time.com/5556331/mueller-investigation-indictments-guilty-pleas/ |access-date=April 16, 2019 |magazine=Time |date=March 24, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420231140/http://time.com/5556331/mueller-investigation-indictments-guilty-pleas/ |url-status=live }} The investigation was, however, more complex. On May 29, 2019, in a press conference, Mueller stated that "If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime... A president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office. That is unconstitutional. Even if the charge is kept under seal and hidden from public view – that too is prohibited."{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/29/mueller-says-trump-was-not-exonerated-by-his-investigation|title=Robert Mueller breaks silence to insist he did not exonerate Trump|first=David|last=Smith|newspaper=The Guardian |date=May 29, 2019|via=www.theguardian.com|access-date=July 23, 2019|archive-date=May 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200521222026/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/29/mueller-says-trump-was-not-exonerated-by-his-investigation|url-status=live}}

Dozens of ongoing investigations originally handled by the Special Counsel's office were forwarded to district and state prosecutors, other Department of Justice (DoJ) branches, and other federal agencies.{{cite news |last1=Carlisle |first1=Madeline |last2=Paschal |first2=Olivia |title=After Mueller: The Ongoing Investigations Surrounding Trump |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/03/after-mueller-ongoing-investigations-trump/585376/ |access-date=April 8, 2019 |work=The Atlantic |date=March 22, 2019 |archive-date=April 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408070107/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/03/after-mueller-ongoing-investigations-trump/585376/ |url-status=live }} The following (in alphabetical order) were indicted during the Mueller investigation:

• 13 Russians implicated in election interference: Mueller's team indicted thirteen Russian citizens, the Internet Research Agency (IRA), Concord Management and Consulting and Concord Catering with conducting social media campaigns about the U.S. elections.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/russians-indicted-mueller-election-interference.html|title=13 Russians Indicted as Mueller Reveals Effort to Aid Trump Campaign|last1=Apuzzo|first1=Matt|date=February 16, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 17, 2018|last2=LaFraniere|first2=Sharon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217021452/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/us/politics/russians-indicted-mueller-election-interference.html|archive-date=February 17, 2018|url-status=live}} Twelve of the Russian defendants, who were alleged to be members of the Russian GRU cyber espionage group known as Fancy Bear, were charged in June 2018 with hacking and leaking DNC emails.{{cite news |title=U.S. Indicts 12 Russian Agents in 2016 Election Hacking |first1=Mark |last1=Mazzetti |first2=Katie |last2=Benner |work=The New York Times|date=July 13, 2018 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/us/politics/mueller-indictment-russian-intelligence-hacking.html |access-date=July 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905201625/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/us/politics/mueller-indictment-russian-intelligence-hacking.html |archive-date=September 5, 2018 |url-status=live }} The other Russian indicted, who was not a direct employee of Fancy Bear, was Russian business tycoon Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was alleged to have served as the financier for the organization.{{cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/20/17031772/mueller-indictments-grand-jury|title=All of Robert Mueller's indictments and plea deals in the Russia investigation|first=Andrew|last=Prokop|publisher=Vox|date=December 17, 2019|access-date=March 25, 2020|archive-date=July 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714045051/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/20/17031772/mueller-indictments-grand-jury|url-status=live}} The US government dropped all charges against Concord Management and Consulting and Concord Catering in March 2020. In November 2019, Time magazine reported that it was "unlikely that any of the Russians will ever face a trial in the United States, but the charges make it harder for them to travel overseas".{{cite magazine |last1=Beckwith |first1=Ryan Teague |title=Here Are All of the Indictments, Guilty Pleas and Convictions From Robert Mueller's Investigation |url=https://time.com/5556331/mueller-investigation-indictments-guilty-pleas/ |access-date=January 25, 2021 |magazine=Time |date=November 15, 2019 |archive-date=January 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127215803/https://time.com/5556331/mueller-investigation-indictments-guilty-pleas/ |url-status=live }}
• Michael Cohen, Trump's personal lawyer, pled guilty to making hush payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal in violation of campaign finance laws, and was convicted for several unrelated counts of bank and tax fraud.{{cite news |last1=Ryan |first1=Paul Seamus |title=All Evidence Points to Campaign Finance Crimes By President Trump |url=https://www.justsecurity.org/61853/evidence-points-campaign-finance-crimes-president-trump/ |access-date=April 16, 2019 |work=Just Security |date=December 13, 2018 |archive-date=April 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410235226/https://www.justsecurity.org/61853/evidence-points-campaign-finance-crimes-president-trump/ |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |last1=Abrams |first1=Abigail |title=Trump Still Faces More Than a Dozen Investigations |url=https://time.com/5557644/donald-trump-other-investigations-mueller/ |access-date=April 16, 2019 |magazine=Time |date=March 23, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=April 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429030125/http://time.com/5557644/donald-trump-other-investigations-mueller/ |url-status=live }}
• Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, who had been appointed as National Security Advisor by the incoming Trump administration, was dismissed from his position and later pled guilty to making false statements to FBI investigators about his conversations with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak during the presidential transition.{{cite news |last1=Dilanian |first1=Ken |title=Official: Flynn discussed sanctions with Russians before taking office |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/official-flynn-discussed-sanctions-russians-taking-office-n719271 |access-date=March 28, 2019 |work=NBC News |date=February 10, 2017 |language=en |archive-date=March 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302064420/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/official-flynn-discussed-sanctions-russians-taking-office-n719271 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/01/us/politics/michael-flynn-guilty-russia-investigation.html |title=Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty to Lying to the F.B.I. and Will Cooperate With Russia Inquiry|last1=Shear|first1=Michael D.|date=December 1, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=December 14, 2017 |last2=Goldman |first2=Adam |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214081210/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/01/us/politics/michael-flynn-guilty-russia-investigation.html |archive-date=December 14, 2017|url-status=live}}
• Rick Gates, former Trump Deputy Campaign Chairman, was indicted along with Paul Manafort in October 2017 on charges related to their consultation work with pro-Russian political figures in Ukraine. The charges were dropped after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States for making false statements in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/us/politics/rick-gates-russia.html |title=How the Russia Investigation Entangled Rick Gates, a Manafort Protégé |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 16, 2017 |access-date=2022-03-14 |archive-date=October 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030212115/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/us/politics/rick-gates-russia.html |url-status=live }}
• Konstantin Kilimnik, Manafort's business partner in Ukraine, was indicted for witness tampering at the behest of Manafort;{{cite news |first=Kenneth P. |last=Vogel |title=Mueller Adds Obstruction Charge on Manafort and Indicts His Right-Hand Man |date=June 8, 2018 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/08/us/politics/manafort-obstruction-kilimnik-charges.html |access-date=June 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905201954/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/08/us/politics/manafort-obstruction-kilimnik-charges.html |archive-date=September 5, 2018 |url-status=live }} Kilimnik is suspected of working for Russian intelligence.{{cite news |last1=Basu |first1=Zachary |title=Judge fixates on Manafort's relationship with suspected Russian intelligence operative |url=https://www.axios.com/paul-manafort-konstantin-kilimnik-mueller-investigation-a851e5b1-b2a3-47a7-87d8-c54902f22c09.html |access-date=April 16, 2019 |work=Axios |date=February 15, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=April 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418090253/https://www.axios.com/paul-manafort-konstantin-kilimnik-mueller-investigation-a851e5b1-b2a3-47a7-87d8-c54902f22c09.html |url-status=live }}
• Paul Manafort, former Trump campaign chairman was found guilty on eight felony counts of tax evasion and bank fraud,{{cite news |date=August 21, 2018 |last1=LaFraniere |first1=Sharon |title=Paul Manafort Convicted in Fraud Trial |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/us/politics/paul-manafort-trial-verdict.html |work=The New York Times|access-date=August 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904201228/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/us/politics/paul-manafort-trial-verdict.html |archive-date=September 4, 2018 |url-status=live }} pursuant to his earlier lobbying activities for the Party of Regions of former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich.{{cite news |last1=Abou-Sabe |first1=Kenzi |last2=Winter |first2=Tom |last3=Tucker |first3=Max |title=What did ex-Trump aide Paul Manafort really do in Ukraine? |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-did-ex-trump-aide-paul-manafort-really-do-ukraine-n775431 |access-date=April 16, 2019 |work=NBC News |date=June 27, 2017 |language=en |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014125506/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/what-did-ex-trump-aide-paul-manafort-really-do-ukraine-n775431 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Bociurkiw |first1=Michael |title=Paul Manafort's work for Ukraine fit neatly with Putin's agenda |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/06/opinions/manafort-ukraine-russia-agenda-bociurkiw/index.html |access-date=April 16, 2019 |work=CNN |date=August 6, 2018 |archive-date=April 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418172114/https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/06/opinions/manafort-ukraine-russia-agenda-bociurkiw/index.html |url-status=live }} He later pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud and obstruction of justice;{{cite news |date=September 14, 2018 |last1=Maza |first1=Christina |title=Trump-Russia investigation: Paul Manafort guilty plea reveals details of foreign influence on campaign chairman |work=Newsweek |url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-russia-investigation-paul-manafort-guilty-plea-reveals-details-foreign-1121881 |access-date=September 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014193211/https://www.newsweek.com/trump-russia-investigation-paul-manafort-guilty-plea-reveals-details-foreign-1121881 |archive-date=October 14, 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |date=September 14, 2018 |last1=Polantz |first1=Katelyn |title=Paul Manafort pleads guilty and agrees to cooperate with Mueller investigation |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/14/politics/paul-manafort-guilty-plea/index.html |work=CNN |access-date=September 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929085250/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/09/14/politics/paul-manafort-guilty-plea/index.html |archive-date=September 29, 2018 |url-status=live }} in total, he was sentenced to over seven years in jail{{cite news |last1=Voreacos |first1=David |last2=Harris |first2=Andrew M |title=Manafort's Second Sentencing Pushes Prison Total to 7 1/2 Years |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-13/manafort-sentenced-to-a-total-of-7-5-years-in-prison |access-date=April 16, 2019 |work=Bloomberg News |date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=April 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416073029/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-13/manafort-sentenced-to-a-total-of-7-5-years-in-prison |url-status=live }} in February 2018.
• George Papadopoulos, Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, was convicted for making false statements to the FBI.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/09/us/politics/fbi-raids-office-of-trumps-longtime-lawyer-michael-cohen.html|title=F.B.I. Raids Office of Trump's Longtime Lawyer Michael Cohen|last=Apuzzo|first=Matt|date=April 9, 2018|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=April 9, 2018|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409201609/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/09/us/politics/fbi-raids-office-of-trumps-longtime-lawyer-michael-cohen.html|archive-date=April 9, 2018|url-status=live}}
• Roger Stone, a longtime Trump advisor who had met with a Russian person offering to sell derogatory financial information about Hillary Clinton,{{cite news |last1=Ogles |first1=Jacob |title=Mueller report: Roger Stone met with Russian selling dirt on Hillary Clinton |url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/294130-mueller-report-roger-stone |access-date=April 20, 2019 |work=Florida Politics |date=April 18, 2019 |archive-date=April 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419213841/http://floridapolitics.com/archives/294130-mueller-report-roger-stone |url-status=live }} was indicted on seven charges of lying to Congress and witness tampering. He pled not guilty.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/us/politics/roger-stone-trump-mueller.html|title=Indicting Roger Stone, Mueller Shows Link Between Trump Campaign and WikiLeaks|first1=Mark|last1=Mazzetti|author-link1=Mark Mazzetti|first2=Eileen|last2=Sullivan|author-link2=Eileen Sullivan|first3=Maggie|last3=Haberman|author-link3=Maggie Haberman|date=January 25, 2019 |website=The New York Times|access-date=January 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129024211/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/us/politics/roger-stone-trump-mueller.html|archive-date=January 29, 2019|url-status=live}} The jury subsequently found him guilty on all seven counts.Spencer S. Hsu, Rachel Weiner and Matt Zapotosky. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/roger-stone-jury-weighs-evidence-and-a-defense-move-to-make-case-about-mueller/2019/11/15/554fff5a-06ff-11ea-8292-c46ee8cb3dce_story.html Roger Stone guilty on all counts in federal trial of lying to Congress, witness tampering.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212015405/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/roger-stone-jury-weighs-evidence-and-a-defense-move-to-make-case-about-mueller/2019/11/15/554fff5a-06ff-11ea-8292-c46ee8cb3dce_story.html |date=December 12, 2019 }} Washington Post, November 15, 2019.
• Alex van der Zwaan, a Dutch lawyer with the global law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, he pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to investigators while answering questions about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.{{cite news |last=Dilanian |first=Ken |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/mueller-files-new-charge-russia-probe-against-lawyer-accused-lying-n849566 |title=Russia probe: Lawyer Alex van der Zwaan, oligarch's son-in-law, pleads guilty |publisher=Nbcnews.com |orig-date=February 20, 2018 |date=February 21, 2018 |accessdate=2022-03-14 |archive-date=June 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614114444/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/mueller-files-new-charge-russia-probe-against-lawyer-accused-lying-n849566 |url-status=live }}

File:William Barr Letter - March 22 2019 - Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III has concluded his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and related matters.pdf William Barr to leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees notifying them about conclusion of the investigation]]

{{Main|Mueller report}}

On March 22, 2019, the special counsel's office concluded their investigation and sent a report to the Department of Justice where it was received by Attorney General William Barr. Barr, at Trump's nomination, had become attorney general on February 14, 2019, gaining oversight of the investigation from Trump-appointed Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. Whitaker had assumed oversight from Rosenstein on November 7, 2018, after the resignation of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who had recused himself from the investigation. Both Barr and Whitaker had been critical of the Mueller investigation before their appointments. Barr has faced bipartisan pressure to release the full report to the public, to the maximum extent permissible by law.{{cite web|first=Jessica|last=Taylor|date=March 23, 2019|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/03/23/706088795/attorney-general-barr-faces-bipartisan-pressure-to-make-mueller-report-public|title=Attorney General Barr Faces Bipartisan Pressure To Make Mueller Report Public|website=NPR|access-date=March 24, 2019|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106215047/https://www.npr.org/2019/03/23/706088795/attorney-general-barr-faces-bipartisan-pressure-to-make-mueller-report-public|url-status=live}}

On March 24, 2019, Attorney General Barr sent a four-page letter to Congress regarding the special counsel's findings regarding Russian interference and obstruction of justice.{{cite web |last= Barr |first= William |author-link= William Barr |title= English: The Attorney General |date= March 24, 2019 |url= https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AG_March_24_2019_Letter_to_House_and_Senate_Judiciary_Committees.pdf |website= Wikimedia Commons |access-date= March 24, 2019 |archive-date= October 13, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211013201558/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AG_March_24_2019_Letter_to_House_and_Senate_Judiciary_Committees.pdf |url-status= live }} Barr said that on the question of Russian interference in the election, Mueller detailed two ways in which Russia attempted to influence the election, firstly disinformation and social media campaigns by the Internet Research Agency to cause social discord, and secondly computer hacking and strategic release of emails from the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign and Democratic Party organizations.{{cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/2019/3/24/18279818/mueller-report-attorney-general-summary-conclusions|title=Read: Attorney general delivers summary of special counsel's report|last=Kirby|first=Jen|date=March 24, 2019|work=Vox|access-date=March 26, 2019|archive-date=March 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325212037/https://www.vox.com/2019/3/24/18279818/mueller-report-attorney-general-summary-conclusions|url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Paul |first1=Deanna |title=What Barr's letter does — and doesn't — tell us about proving conspiracy and collusion |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/25/what-barrs-letter-does-doesnt-tell-us-about-proving-conspiracy-collusion/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=April 1, 2019 |archive-date=March 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331204531/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/25/what-barrs-letter-does-doesnt-tell-us-about-proving-conspiracy-collusion/ |url-status=live }} However, Barr quoted the report as saying: "[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."{{cite news |first1=Kevin |last1=Johnson |first2=Bart |last2=Jansen |first3=Kristine |last3=Phillips |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/24/mueller-report-conclusions-donald-trump-russia-investigation-barr-deliver-congress/3256025002/ |title=Mueller Report: Investigation finds no evidence of Russia conspiracy, leaves obstruction question open |work=USA Today |date=March 24, 2019 |access-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-date=November 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108024440/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/24/mueller-report-conclusions-donald-trump-russia-investigation-barr-deliver-congress/3256025002/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/24/politics/mueller-report-release/index.html|title=Mueller did not find Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia, also did not exonerate him on obstruction|last1=Herb|first1=Jeremy|last2=Jarrett|first2=Laura|last3=Polantz|first3=Katelyn|date=March 24, 2019|website=CNN|access-date=March 24, 2019|archive-date=October 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021215415/https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/24/politics/mueller-report-release/index.html|url-status=live}}

On the question of obstruction of justice, Barr said no conclusion was reached by the special counsel, noting that Mueller wrote "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him".{{cite news |title=Mueller Report Live Updates: No Trump-Russia Conspiracy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/24/us/politics/mueller-report-live-updates.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324184054/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/24/us/politics/mueller-report-live-updates.html |archive-date=2019-03-24 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=March 24, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=March 24, 2019}} Barr and Rosenstein concluded that the evidence for obstruction of justice could not form the basis for a prosecution.{{cite news|url=https://www.axios.com/mueller-report-bill-barr-investigation-congress-d106072d-0120-4b6b-8cef-cbd6915a0f60.html|title=Mueller investigation finds no Trump campaign conspiracy with Russia|website=Axios.com|first=Zachary|last=Basu|date=March 24, 2019|access-date=March 24, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108021841/https://www.axios.com/mueller-report-bill-barr-investigation-congress-d106072d-0120-4b6b-8cef-cbd6915a0f60.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/24/us/politics/mueller-trump-obstruction-of-justice.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325015054/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/24/us/politics/mueller-trump-obstruction-of-justice.html |archive-date=2019-03-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Barr Goes Beyond Mueller in Clearing Trump on Obstruction, Drawing Scrutiny|first1=Michael S.|last1=Schmidt|first2=Charlie|last2=Savage|date=March 24, 2019|website=The New York Times }}{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-24/mueller-leaves-obstruction-question-to-barr-who-clears-trump|title=Mueller Leaves Obstruction Question to Barr, Who Clears Trump|website=Bloomberg.com|first=Greg|last=Farrell|date=March 24, 2019|access-date=March 27, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108073509/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-24/mueller-leaves-obstruction-question-to-barr-who-clears-trump|url-status=live}} On April 18, Barr and Rosenstein held a press conference ninety minutes before a redacted version of the report, titled Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election, was released to Congress and the public.{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/us/politics/trump-mueller-report.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417214025/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/us/politics/trump-mueller-report.html |archive-date=2019-04-17 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=White House and Justice Dept. Officials Discussed Mueller Report Before Release |first1=Mark|last1=Mazzetti |first2=Maggie|last2=Haberman |first3=Nicholas |last3=Fandos |first4=Katie|last4=Benner|date=April 17, 2019|work=The New York Times }} A less-redacted version is planned to be accessible to "a bipartisan group of leaders from several Congressional committees".{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/us/politics/mueller-report.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418111118/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/us/politics/mueller-report.html |archive-date=2019-04-18 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Mueller Report Is Released: Live Updates |last=Baker|first=Peter|date=April 18, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 18, 2019 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

The New York Times reported on April 3, 2019, that some members of the special counsel had told associates that they believe Barr's letter did not adequately portray their findings, which they considered to be more troubling for Trump than reported.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/us/politics/mueller-findings-barr.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403233002/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/us/politics/mueller-findings-barr.html |archive-date=2019-04-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Some on Mueller's Team See Their Findings as More Damaging for Trump Than Barr Revealed |first1=Nicholas |last1=Fandos |first2=Michael S.|last2=Schmidt|first3=Mark|last3=Mazzetti|date=April 3, 2019|website=The New York Times }} The next day, The Washington Post reported that members of Mueller's team, who spoke anonymously, reported that the evidence gathered on obstruction of justice was "much more acute than Barr suggested".{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/opinions/2019/04/04/complete-total-exoneration-team-mueller-nope-not-so-much/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404151717/https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/opinions/2019/04/04/complete-total-exoneration-team-mueller-nope-not-so-much/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-04-04|title='Complete and total exoneration'? Team Mueller: Nope, not so much.|newspaper=The Washington Post }} These members of Mueller's team said they believed that the evidence showed Trump obstructed justice, but that the entire team could not draw a conclusion because they were split over the evidence and law.{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/04/some-mueller-team-members-say-there-is-evidence-trump-obstructed-justice.html|title=Some Mueller team members say there is evidence Trump obstructed justice|first=Dan|last=Mangan|date=April 4, 2019|website=CNBC|access-date=April 4, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108002750/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/04/some-mueller-team-members-say-there-is-evidence-trump-obstructed-justice.html|url-status=live}} The Washington Post report did not explain why they believed their findings to be more serious than Barr's conclusions and it is unknown how many members of the special counsel hold these opinions.{{Cite news |url= https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/437330-some-mueller-team-members-say-obstruction-evidence-was-more-acute/ |title= Some Mueller team members say obstruction evidence was more 'acute' than what Barr suggested: report |first= Justin |last= Wise |date= April 4, 2019 |website= The Hill |access-date= April 4, 2019 |archive-date= January 26, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210126073832/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/437330-some-mueller-team-members-say-obstruction-evidence-was-more-acute |url-status= live }}

Barr's letter quoted Mueller's report as stating, "the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference", leading Barr to write, "the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense", and concluding, "while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the President's intent with respect to obstruction". Some legal analysts challenged Barr's reasoning that Trump would not have intended to obstruct justice solely because he knew he had not committed a crime, noting that one can have intent to obstruct justice for other reasons, such as protecting associates from harm.{{cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/03/26/barr-is-wrong-obstruction-justice-doesnt-require-another-underlying-crime/ |title= Perspective | Barr is wrong: Obstruction of justice doesn't require another underlying crime |newspaper= The Washington Post |first= Daniel |last= Hemel |date= March 26, 2019 |access-date= April 5, 2019 |archive-date= November 25, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201125010830/https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/03/26/barr-is-wrong-obstruction-justice-doesnt-require-another-underlying-crime/ |url-status= live }}{{cite magazine |url= https://time.com/5559169/donald-trump-obstruction-justice-barr-memo/ |title= Did Trump Obstruct Justice? Here's What Former Prosecutors Think |magazine= Time |access-date= April 5, 2019 |archive-date= November 11, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201111193650/https://time.com/5559169/donald-trump-obstruction-justice-barr-memo/ |url-status= live }}{{cite web |url= https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/barr-s-letter-says-mueller-couldn-t-prove-obstruction-doesn-ncna990106 |title= Opinion | What Watergate can teach us about Mueller's report and obstruction of justice |website= NBC News |date= April 3, 2019 |access-date= June 12, 2019 |archive-date= November 24, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201124175220/https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/barr-s-letter-says-mueller-couldn-t-prove-obstruction-doesn-ncna990106 |url-status= live }}{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/03/24/us/politics/barr-letter-mueller-report.html |title= Read Attorney General William Barr's Summary of the Mueller Report |website= The New York Times |date= March 24, 2019 |first= William P. |last= Barr |author-link= William Barr |access-date= March 24, 2019 |archive-date= November 12, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211112082854/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/03/24/us/politics/barr-letter-mueller-report.html |url-status= live }}

In May 2021, federal judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled the Barr DOJ had misled her and Congress by asserting a heavily redacted March 2019 internal memorandum{{cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/oip/foia-library/foia-processed/general_topics/obstruction_of_justice_07_01_20_revised_version/download |title=Memorandum for the Attorney General |publisher=United States Department of Justice |date=March 24, 2019 |access-date=August 16, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=May 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505210930/https://www.justice.gov/oip/foia-library/foia-processed/general_topics/obstruction_of_justice_07_01_20_revised_version/download }} contained only deliberative analysis of whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice. Jackson had seen the unredacted memo and concluded it contained "strategic" analysis to justify a decision Barr had already made. She ordered the memo to be publicly released within two weeks, pending any appeal by the DOJ.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/04/us/politics/barr-trump-obstruction-russia-inquiry.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504232454/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/04/us/politics/barr-trump-obstruction-russia-inquiry.html |archive-date=2021-05-04 |url-access=limited|title=Judge Says Barr Misled on How His Justice Dept. Viewed Trump's Actions|first=Michael S.|last=Schmidt|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 4, 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/04/politics/william-barr-memo-trump-memo/index.html|title=Secret William Barr memo saying not to charge Trump must be released, judge says|author=Katelyn Polantz|website=CNN|access-date=May 5, 2021|archive-date=May 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505011324/https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/04/politics/william-barr-memo-trump-memo/index.html|url-status=live}}

On April 3, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee, which did not receive the unredacted report by its April 2 deadline, voted 24–17 along party lines to approve a resolution which authorizes subpoenas of the full report.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mueller-report-house-judiciary-committee-subpoenas-mueller-report-today-2019-04-03-live-stream-updates/|title=House Judiciary passes resolution to authorize subpoenas full Mueller report|first=Emily|last=Tillett|website=CBS News|date=April 3, 2019|access-date=April 3, 2019|archive-date=April 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403125002/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mueller-report-house-judiciary-committee-subpoenas-mueller-report-today-2019-04-03-live-stream-updates/|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-pol-house-judiciary-committee-mueller-report-20190403-story.html |title=House Judiciary Committee approves subpoenas for Mueller report |agency=Associated Press |website=Los Angeles Times |date=April 3, 2019 |access-date=April 3, 2019 |archive-date=February 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202085531/https://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-pol-house-judiciary-committee-mueller-report-20190403-story.html |url-status=live }} The resolution also authorized subpoenas related to five of President Donald Trump's former top advisers, including strategist Steve Bannon, communications director Hope Hicks, chief of staff Reince Priebus, former-White House counsel Donald McGahn and counsel Annie Donaldson.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/us/politics/mueller-report-subpoena-house.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403144312/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/03/us/politics/mueller-report-subpoena-house.html |archive-date=2019-04-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=House Democrat Demands Six Years of Trump Tax Returns From I.R.S.|first=Nicholas|last=Fandos|date=April 3, 2019|website=The New York Times }}{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/07270dde420541168a8cf653aee8248c |title=House Judiciary panel approves subpoenas for Mueller report |first=Mary Clare |last=Jalonick |work=Associated Press |access-date=April 26, 2019 |archive-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203052630/https://apnews.com/07270dde420541168a8cf653aee8248c |url-status=live }}

The Justice Department discussed the report with White House attorneys, and Barr discussed it in an April 18, 2019, press conference, a few hours before its release to Congress and the public later that day.

On April 19, 2019, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler issued a subpoena for the release of the full unredacted report.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-judiciary-chairman-nadler-subpoenas-full-unredacted-mueller-report-n996291|title=House Judiciary Chairman Nadler subpoenas full, unredacted Mueller report|website=NBC News|date=April 19, 2019|first=Rebecca|last=Shabad|access-date=April 19, 2019|archive-date=November 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129020749/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-judiciary-chairman-nadler-subpoenas-full-unredacted-mueller-report-n996291|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/8ff7847914264c9c9293ed1cef07a5b2|title=Democrats subpoena Mueller report amid calls for impeachment|first=Lisa|last=Mascaro|date=April 20, 2019|website=Associated Press|access-date=April 22, 2019|archive-date=November 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115165513/https://apnews.com/8ff7847914264c9c9293ed1cef07a5b2|url-status=live}} On May 3, 2019, Nadler informed Barr that a subpoena had been issued giving him until May 6 to release the full unredacted Mueller Report to the House Judiciary Committee.{{cite news|url=http://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/democrats-threaten-contempt-for-barr-over-mueller-report|title=Democrats threaten contempt for Barr over Mueller report|first=Mary Clare|last=Jalonick|agency=Associated Press|date=May 3, 2019|website=WCIV|access-date=May 7, 2019|archive-date=January 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111030920/https://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/democrats-threaten-contempt-for-barr-over-mueller-report|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nadler-offers-doj-counter-offer-to-view-redacted-mueller-report/|title=Nadler gives Barr new deadline to comply with list of requests regarding Mueller report|website=CBS News|date=May 3, 2019 |access-date=May 4, 2019|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108000719/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nadler-offers-doj-counter-offer-to-view-redacted-mueller-report/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/05/03/contempt-congress-william-barr-democrats/3647317002/ |title= Democrats may hold AG Barr in contempt of Congress. What is that and can it actually be used? |website= USA Today |access-date= May 3, 2019 |archive-date= January 5, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210105003426/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/05/03/contempt-congress-william-barr-democrats/3647317002/ |url-status= live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/03/nadler-barr-in-contempt-1300548|title=Nadler delivers ultimatum to Barr before holding AG in contempt|first1=Rew|last1=Desiderio|first2=Kyle|last2=Cheney|website=Politico|access-date=March 6, 2021|archive-date=May 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505191744/https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/03/nadler-barr-in-contempt-1300548|url-status=dead}} On May 6, after Barr failed to meet the committee's deadline to release the full report, the committee agreed to hold a vote to start Contempt of Congress proceedings against Barr on May 8.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/05/06/720628285/house-judiciary-plans-contempt-vote-for-attorney-general-barr-over-mueller-repor|title=House Judiciary Plans Contempt Vote For Attorney General Barr Over Mueller Report|website=NPR|date=May 6, 2019|last1=Mak|first1=Tim|access-date=May 6, 2019|archive-date=October 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030105139/https://www.npr.org/2019/05/06/720628285/house-judiciary-plans-contempt-vote-for-attorney-general-barr-over-mueller-repor|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/house-judiciary-committee-schedules-a-wednesday-vote-to-hold-attorney-general-william-barr-in-contempt-of-congress-2019-05-06|title=House Judiciary Committee schedules a Wednesday vote to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress|agency=Associated Press|website=MarketWatch|access-date=May 6, 2019|archive-date=November 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107233541/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/house-judiciary-committee-schedules-a-wednesday-vote-to-hold-attorney-general-william-barr-in-contempt-of-congress-2019-05-06|url-status=live}} A law issued in 1857 gives Congress the power to issue criminal charges for this matter.Act of January 24, 1857, Ch. 19, sec. 1, 11 Stat. 155. Trump's announcement of executive privilege came just hours before the House Judiciary Committee planned to vote on whether to hold Barr in contempt. On May 8, 2019, after Trump invoked executive privilege, the House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to reject White House's assertion of executive privilege and approve a motion put forward by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fl) which states that a vote to hold Barr in contempt would not "be construed as a directive for the Attorney General to violate Federal law or rules."{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/barr-in-contempt-of-congress-hearing-judiciary-committee-vote-attorney-general-barr-mueller-report-today-2019-05-08/|title=House Judiciary votes to hold Barr in contempt for defying Mueller report subpoena|website=CBS News|date=May 8, 2019 |access-date=May 16, 2019|archive-date=December 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207180238/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/barr-in-contempt-of-congress-hearing-judiciary-committee-vote-attorney-general-barr-mueller-report-today-2019-05-08/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/8/house-judiciary-committee-approves-amendment-oppos/|title=House Judiciary Committee approves amendment opposing Trump's assertion of executive privilege|website=The Washington Times|access-date=May 8, 2019|archive-date=January 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126165000/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/8/house-judiciary-committee-approves-amendment-oppos/|url-status=live}} In a 24–16 vote, the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Barr in contempt.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/justice-department-set-ask-executive-privilege-mueller-report-n1003146|title=House Judiciary Committee votes to hold Barr in contempt after Trump asserts executive privilege|website=NBC News|date=May 8, 2019 |access-date=May 16, 2019|archive-date=May 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513142117/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/justice-department-set-ask-executive-privilege-mueller-report-n1003146|url-status=live}}

On April 18, 2019, a redacted version of the Special Counsel's report titled Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election, was released to Congress and the public. About one-eighth of the lines in the public version were redacted.{{cite news |url= https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/18/mueller-report-recounts-10-episodes-involving-trump-and-questions-of-obstruction.html |title= Mueller report recounts 10 episodes involving Trump and questions of obstruction |last= Pramuk |first= Jacob |date= April 18, 2019 |work= CNBC |access-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-date= April 26, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190426094249/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/18/mueller-report-recounts-10-episodes-involving-trump-and-questions-of-obstruction.html |url-status= live }}{{cite web |url= https://www.justice.gov/sco |title= Special Counsel's Office |date= October 16, 2017 |website= United States Department of Justice |language= en |access-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-date= February 23, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180223220952/https://www.justice.gov/sco |url-status= dead }}{{cite news |url= https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/mueller-report-release-latest-news/card/1555613011 |title= The Mueller Report by the Numbers |work= The Wall Street Journal |date= April 18, 2019 |access-date= April 19, 2019 |archive-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190418230152/https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/mueller-report-release-latest-news/card/1555613011 |url-status= live }} The report was in two volumes, the first about Russian interference in the election and potential involvement of Trump associates, and the second on possible obstruction of justice by Trump.

The report concluded that Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election did occur "in sweeping and systematic fashion" and "violated U.S. criminal law".{{cite web |last1=Inskeep |first1=Steve |last2=Detrow |first2=Scott |last3=Johnson |first3=Carrie |last4=Davis |first4=Susan |last5=Greene |first5=David |title=Redacted Mueller Report Released; Congress, Trump React |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/04/18/714667960/redacted-mueller-report-is-released |website=NPR |access-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-date=May 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517112022/https://www.npr.org/2019/04/18/714667960/redacted-mueller-report-is-released |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=The Mueller Report |url=https://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/mueller-report |work=YaleGlobal Online |date=May 19, 2021 |publisher=MacMillan Center |access-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422030201/https://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/mueller-report |url-status=live }}

The first method detailed in the final report was the usage of the Internet Research Agency, waging "a social media campaign that favored presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and disparaged presidential candidate Hillary Clinton". The Internet Research Agency also sought to "provoke and amplify political and social discord in the United States".{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Shane |last2=Nakashima |first2=Ellen |last3=Timberg |first3=Craig |title=Through email leaks and propaganda, Russians sought to elect Trump, Mueller finds |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/through-email-leaks-and-propaganda-russians-sought-to-elect-trump-mueller-finds/2019/04/18/109ddf74-571b-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e_story.html |date=April 18, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=April 23, 2019 |archive-date=October 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023035034/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/through-email-leaks-and-propaganda-russians-sought-to-elect-trump-mueller-finds/2019/04/18/109ddf74-571b-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e_story.html |url-status=live }}

The second method of Russian interference saw the Russian intelligence service, the GRU, hacking into email accounts owned by volunteers and employees of the Clinton presidential campaign, including that of campaign chairman John Podesta, and also hacking into "the computer networks of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the Democratic National Committee (DNC)". As a result, the GRU obtained hundreds of thousands of hacked documents, and the GRU proceeded by arranging releases of damaging hacked material via the WikiLeaks organization and also GRU's personas "DCLeaks" and "Guccifer 2.0".{{cite web |last1=Mackey |first1=Robert |last2=Risen |first2=James |last3=Aaronson |first3=Trevor |title=Annotating special counsel Robert Mueller's redacted report |url=https://theintercept.com/2019/04/18/annotating-special-counsel-robert-muellers-redacted-report/ |work=The Intercept |date=April 18, 2019 |access-date=April 23, 2019 |archive-date=April 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423032150/https://theintercept.com/2019/04/18/annotating-special-counsel-robert-muellers-redacted-report/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Dunleavy |first1=Jerry |title=Mueller says Russia's GRU stole Clinton, DNC emails and gave them to WikiLeaks |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mueller-says-russias-gru-stole-clinton-dnc-emails-and-gave-them-to-wikileaks |work=Washington Examiner |date=April 18, 2019 |access-date=April 23, 2019 |archive-date=April 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423032206/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mueller-says-russias-gru-stole-clinton-dnc-emails-and-gave-them-to-wikileaks |url-status=live }}[https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf Mueller Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419072437/https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf |date=April 19, 2019 }}, vol. I, p. 4: At the same time that the IRA operation began to focus on supporting candidate Trump in early 2016, the Russian government employed a second form of interference: cyber intrusions (hacking) and releases of hacked materials damaging to the Clinton Campaign. The Russian intelligence service known as the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Army (GRU) carried out these operations. In March 2016, the GRU began hacking the email accounts of Clinton Campaign volunteers and employees, including campaign chairman John Podesta. In April 2016, the GRU hacked into the computer networks of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The GRU stole hundreds of thousands of documents from the compromised email accounts and networks. Around the time that the DNC announced in mid-June 2016 the Russian government's role in hacking its network, the GRU began disseminating stolen materials through the fictitious online personas "DCLeaks" and "Guccifer 2.0." The GRU later released additional materials through the organization WikiLeaks.

The Russians had also hacked old Republican Party domains and emails, but, according to James Comey, "none of that was released", and there was no sign "that the Trump campaign or the current RNC was successfully hacked".{{cite web | last=Gaouette | first=Nicole | title=FBI's Comey: Republicans also hacked by Russia | website=CNN | date=January 10, 2017 | url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/comey-republicans-hacked-russia/index.html | access-date=March 21, 2023 | archive-date=January 4, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104210746/https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/comey-republicans-hacked-russia/index.html | url-status=live }} According to the ODNI assessment, the Russians did not release the Republican content in the same way they did the Democrat's content.

{{seealso|Mueller report#Conspiracy or coordination vs collusion|Mueller report#False "no collusion" claims}}

The investigation did not establish that members of the 2016 Trump campaign "conspired" or "coordinated" with Russia and did not evaluate whether or not "collusion" occurred.

To establish whether a crime was committed by members of the Trump campaign with regard to Russian interference, investigators "applied the framework of conspiracy law", and not the concept of "collusion", because collusion "is not a specific offense or theory of liability found in the United States Code, nor is it a term of art in federal criminal law".{{cite web |last1=Morais |first1=Betsy |title=Collusion by any other name |url=https://www.cjr.org/first_person/trump-mueller-collusion.php |date=April 18, 2019 |work=Columbia Journalism Review |access-date=April 23, 2019 |archive-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420134235/https://www.cjr.org/first_person/trump-mueller-collusion.php |url-status=live }}[https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf Mueller Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419072437/https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf |date=April 19, 2019 }}, vol. I, p. 2: In evaluating whether evidence about collective action of multiple individuals constituted a crime, we applied the framework of conspiracy law, not the concept of "collusion." In so doing, the Office recognized that the word "collud[e]" was used in communications with the Acting Attorney General confirming certain aspects of the investigation's scope and that the term has frequently been invoked in public reporting about the investigation. But collusion is not a specific offense or theory of liability found in the United States Code, nor is it a term of art in federal criminal law. For those reasons, the Office's focus in analyzing questions of joint criminal liability was on conspiracy as defined in federal law.{{cite web | last1=Desiderio | first1=Andrew | last2=Cheney | first2=Kyle | title=Mueller refutes Trump's 'no collusion, no obstruction' line | website=Politico | date=July 24, 2019 | url=https://www.politico.eu/article/mueller-refutes-trumps-no-collusion-no-obstruction-line/ | access-date=April 21, 2022 | archive-date=October 27, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027162808/https://www.politico.eu/article/mueller-refutes-trumps-no-collusion-no-obstruction-line/ | url-status=live }} They also investigated if members of the Trump campaign "coordinated" with Russia, using the definition of "coordination" as having "an agreement — tacit or express — between the Trump campaign and the Russian government on election interference". Investigators further elaborated that merely having "two parties taking actions that were informed by or responsive to the other's actions or interests" was not enough to establish coordination.[https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf Mueller Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419072437/https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf |date=April 19, 2019 }}, vol. I, p. 2: In connection with that analysis, we addressed the factual question whether members of the Trump Campaign "coordinat[ed]" — a term that appears in the appointment order — with Russian election interference activities. Like collusion, "coordination" does not have a settled definition in federal criminal law. We understood coordination to require an agreement — tacit or express — between the Trump Campaign and the Russian government on election interference. That requires more than the two parties taking actions that were informed by or responsive to the other's actions or interests. We applied the term coordination in that sense when stating in the report that the investigation did not establish that the Trump Campaign coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

The report writes that the investigation "identified numerous links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign", found that Russia "perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency" and that the 2016 Trump presidential campaign "expected it would benefit electorally" from Russian hacking efforts. However, ultimately "the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities".{{cite web |last1=Ostriker |first1=Rebecca |last2=Puzzanghera |first2=Jim |last3=Finucane |first3=Martin |last4=Datar |first4=Saurabh |last5=Uraizee |first5=Irfan |last6=Garvin |first6=Patrick |title=What the Mueller report says about Trump and more |url=https://apps.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/graphics/2019/03/mueller-report/ |website=The Boston Globe |access-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-date=April 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419073427/https://apps.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/graphics/2019/03/mueller-report/ |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |last=Law |first=Tara |title=Here Are the Biggest Takeaways From the Mueller Report |url=https://time.com/5567077/mueller-report-release/ |magazine=Time |access-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422043335/http://time.com/5567077/mueller-report-release/ |url-status=live }} The evidence was not necessarily complete due to encrypted, deleted, or unsaved communications as well as false, incomplete, or declined testimony.[https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf Mueller Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419072437/https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf |date=April 19, 2019 }}, Vol. 1, p. 10: The investigation did not always yield admissible information or testimony, or a complete picture of the activities undertaken by subjects of the investigation. Some individuals invoked their Fifth Amendment right against compelled self-incrimination and were not, in the Office's judgment, appropriate candidates for grants of immunity. The Office limited its pursuit of other witnesses and information-such as information known to attorneys or individuals claiming to be members of the media-in light of internal Department of Justice policies. See, e.g., Justice Manual §§ 9–13.400, 13.410. Some of the information obtained via court process, moreover, was presumptively covered by legal privilege and was screened from investigators by a filter (or "taint") team. Even when individuals testified or agreed to be interviewed, they sometimes provided information that was false or incomplete, leading to some of the false-statements charges described above. And the Office faced practical limits on its ability to access relevant evidence as well-numerous witnesses and subjects lived abroad, and documents were held outside the United States. Further, the Office learned that some of the individuals we interviewed or whose conduct we investigated-including some associated with the Trump Campaign—deleted relevant communications or communicated during the relevant period using applications that feature encryption or that do not provide for long-term retention of data or communications records. In such cases, the Office was not able to corroborate witness statements through comparison to contemporaneous communications or fully question witnesses about statements that appeared inconsistent with other known facts.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/04/19/mueller-report-analysis-legal-experts-226662/|title=The Surprises in the Mueller Report|website=Politico|date=April 19, 2019 |access-date=March 6, 2021|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227065149/https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/04/19/mueller-report-analysis-legal-experts-226662/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/mueller-report-says-messaging-apps-likely-destroyed-trump-russia-evidence|title=Mueller says messaging apps likely destroyed Trump-Russia evidence|first1=Gopal|last1=Ratnam|date=April 19, 2019|website=Roll Call|access-date=June 6, 2019|archive-date=October 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019100057/https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/mueller-report-says-messaging-apps-likely-destroyed-trump-russia-evidence|url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Lemon |first1=Jason |title=Trump campaign figures deleted communications before Mueller could see them, potentially altering report |url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-campaign-deleted-communications-mueller-altering-report-1400558 |website=Newsweek |date=April 18, 2019 |access-date=May 8, 2019 |archive-date=May 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508074526/https://www.newsweek.com/trump-campaign-deleted-communications-mueller-altering-report-1400558 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Yen |first1=Hope |title=AP Fact Check: Trump, Barr distort Mueller report findings |url=https://www.apnews.com/f9c0ab20229140f18ea34e1f15a9f597/ |website=Associated Press |date=May 2019 |access-date=May 2, 2019 |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502001031/https://apnews.com/f9c0ab20229140f18ea34e1f15a9f597 |url-status=live }}

The second volume of the report investigated the topic of obstruction of justice, describing ten episodes where Trump may have obstructed justice as president and one episode before he was elected, and analyzing each in terms of the criteria needed to constitute criminal obstruction.{{cite web |url= https://www.factcheck.org/2019/04/what-the-mueller-report-says-about-obstruction/ |title= What the Mueller Report Says About Obstruction |last1= Farley |first1= Robert |last2= Robertson |first2= Lori |date= April 19, 2019 |website= FactCheck.org |language= en-US |access-date= April 22, 2019 |last3= Gore |first3= D'Angelo |last4= Spencer |first4= Saranac Hale |last5= Fichera |first5= Angelo |last6= McDonald |first6= Jessica |archive-date= April 22, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190422160440/https://www.factcheck.org/2019/04/what-the-mueller-report-says-about-obstruction/ |url-status= live }}{{cite news |last=Desjardins |first=Lisa |title=11 moments Mueller investigated for obstruction of justice |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/11-moments-mueller-investigated-for-obstruction-of-justice |work=PBS Newshour |access-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422162930/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/11-moments-mueller-investigated-for-obstruction-of-justice |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1= Barrett |first1= Devlin |last2= Zapotosky |first2= Matt |title= Mueller report lays out obstruction evidence against the president |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/attorney-general-to-provide-overview-of-mueller-report-at-news-conference-before-its-release/2019/04/17/8dcc9440-54b9-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e_story.html |newspaper= The Washington Post |date= April 17, 2019 |access-date= April 20, 2019 |archive-date= April 20, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190420013118/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/attorney-general-to-provide-overview-of-mueller-report-at-news-conference-before-its-release/2019/04/17/8dcc9440-54b9-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e_story.html |url-status= live }} The investigation found both public and private actions "by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations, including the Russian-interference and obstruction investigations".{{cite web |last1=Edelman |first1=Adam |title=Trump failed at obstruction because his aides refused to carry out orders, Mueller finds |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/mueller-trump-failed-obstruct-because-his-aides-refused-carry-out-n996071 |website=NBC News |date=April 18, 2019 |access-date=May 21, 2019 |archive-date=May 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520181355/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/mueller-trump-failed-obstruct-because-his-aides-refused-carry-out-n996071 |url-status=live }} However, Trump mostly failed to influence it because his subordinates or associates refused to carry out his instructions.{{cite news |url= https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/439651-mueller-report-shows-how-trump-aides-sought-to-protect-him-and/ |title= Mueller report shows how Trump aides sought to protect him and themselves |first= Jordan |last= Fabian |work= The Hill |date= April 18, 2019 |access-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190418233231/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/439651-mueller-report-shows-how-trump-aides-sought-to-protect-him-and |url-status= live }}{{cite news |url= https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/18/trump-barely-disrupted-russia-investigation-mueller-report-says.html |title= Trump barely disrupted Russia investigation, Mueller report says |first= Jacob |last= Pramuk |date= April 18, 2019 |website= CNBC |access-date= April 19, 2019 |archive-date= November 7, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201107230732/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/18/trump-barely-disrupted-russia-investigation-mueller-report-says.html |url-status= live }} The Mueller team refrained from charging Trump with obstruction because investigators abided by a DOJ Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) opinion that a sitting president cannot stand trial,{{cite news |last1= Day |first1= Chad |last2= Gresko |first2= Jessica |title= How Mueller made his no-call on Trump and obstruction |url= https://www.apnews.com/d7830de6911b44d2afb3b180a6b54ad2 |date= April 19, 2019 |website= Associated Press |access-date= April 19, 2019 |archive-date= April 19, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190419005157/https://apnews.com/d7830de6911b44d2afb3b180a6b54ad2 |url-status= live }}{{cite magazine |last= Gajanan |first= Mahita |title= Despite Evidence, Robert Mueller Would Not Say Whether Trump Obstructed Justice. Here's Why |url= https://time.com/5573289/robert-mueller-trump-obstruction-charges/ |magazine= Time |access-date= April 20, 2019 |archive-date= April 20, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190420021245/http://time.com/5573289/robert-mueller-trump-obstruction-charges/ |url-status= live }} and they feared that charges would affect Trump's governing and possibly preempt a potential impeachment.{{cite news |last= Strohm |first= Chris |title= Mueller's Signal on Obstruction: Congress Should Take On Trump |url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-19/mueller-s-signal-on-obstruction-congress-should-take-on-trump |website= Bloomberg News |access-date= April 20, 2019 |archive-date= April 19, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190419135532/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-19/mueller-s-signal-on-obstruction-congress-should-take-on-trump |url-status= live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/mueller-s-report-trump-sections-blacked-out-released-public-n990191 |date=April 18, 2019 |title=Mueller report found Trump directed White House lawyer to 'do crazy s---' |website=NBC News |access-date=April 19, 2019 |first1=Dareh |last1=Gregorian |first2=Julia |last2=Ainsley |archive-date=April 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418162640/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/mueller-s-report-trump-sections-blacked-out-released-public-n990191 |url-status=live }} In addition, investigators felt it would be unfair to accuse Trump of a crime without charges and without a trial in which he could clear his name.{{cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Mueller-leaves-door-open-to-charging-Trump-after-13779108.php |title=Mueller leaves door open to charging Trump after he leaves office |first1=Michael S. |last1=Schmidt |first2=Charlie |last2=Savage |date=April 18, 2019 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=April 26, 2019 |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203133355/https://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Mueller-leaves-door-open-to-charging-Trump-after-13779108.php |url-status=live }} Since they had decided "not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment" on whether to "initiate or decline a prosecution," the special counsel's office "did not draw ultimate conclusions about the President's conduct." The report "does not conclude that the president committed a crime",{{cite news |title= Main points of Mueller report |url=https://www.afp.com/en/news/15/main-points-mueller-report-doc-1fr5vv1 |website=Agence France-Presse |access-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190420143436/https://www.afp.com/en/news/15/main-points-mueller-report-doc-1fr5vv1 |archive-date=April 20, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Neuhauser |first1=Alan |title=The Mueller Report: Obstruction or Exoneration? |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-04-18/the-mueller-report-obstruction-or-exoneration |access-date=May 6, 2019 |work=US News |date=April 18, 2019 |archive-date=May 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506071209/https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2019-04-18/the-mueller-report-obstruction-or-exoneration |url-status=live }} but specifically did not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice, because investigators were not confident that Trump was innocent after examining his intent and actions.{{cite news |last= Blake |first= Aaron |title= The 10 Trump actions Mueller spotlighted for potential obstruction |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/04/18/trump-actions-mueller-spotlighted-potential-obstruction/ |newspaper= The Washington Post |access-date= April 19, 2019 |archive-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190418205553/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/04/18/trump-actions-mueller-spotlighted-potential-obstruction/ |url-status= dead }}{{cite news |date= April 18, 2019 |title= Mueller report: Eight things we only just learned |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47983775 |website= BBC News |access-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-date= April 18, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190418175024/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47983775 |url-status= live }} The report concluded that Congress has the authority to take further action against Trump on the question of obstruction of justice, stating that no one is above the law.{{cite web |last1=Mascaro |first1=Lisa |title=Mueller drops obstruction dilemma on Congress |url=https://www.apnews.com/35829a2b010248f193d1efd00c4de7e5 |website=Associated Press |date=April 19, 2019 |access-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420062558/https://www.apnews.com/35829a2b010248f193d1efd00c4de7e5 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Dennis |first1=Steven |last2=Strohm |first2=Chris |last3=McLaughlin |first3=David |title=Top Takeaways From the Mueller Report |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-18/mueller-report-takeaways |website=Bloomberg News |date=April 18, 2019 |access-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420062028/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-18/mueller-report-takeaways |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1= Schmidt |first1= Michael |last2= Savage |first2= Charlie |title= Mueller Rejects View That Presidents Can't Obstruct Justice |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/us/politics/special-counsel-trump-obstruction.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418205849/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/us/politics/special-counsel-trump-obstruction.html |archive-date=2019-04-18 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The New York Times |date= April 18, 2019 |access-date= April 19, 2019 }}

On May 29, 2019, Mueller announced that he was retiring as special counsel and that the office would be shut down, and he spoke publicly about the report for the first time.{{cite web |title=Charging Trump was not an option, says Robert Mueller |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-48450534 |website=BBC |date=May 29, 2019 |access-date=May 29, 2019 |archive-date=May 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529141823/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-48450534 |url-status=live }} Saying "[t]he report is my testimony," he indicated he would have nothing to say that wasn't already in the report. On the subject of obstruction of justice, he said he had been prohibited by Justice Department policy from charging the president with a crime and that any potential wrongdoing by a president must be addressed by a "process other than the criminal justice system".{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/robert-mueller-speak-today-russia-investigation-trump-2016-election-live-stream-updates-2019-05-29/|title=Mueller: If it were clear president committed no crime, "we would have said so"|last=Segers|first=Grace|date=May 29, 2019|work=CBS News|access-date=May 29, 2019|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214235228/https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/robert-mueller-statement-today-report-investigation-trump-2016-election-live-updates-2019-05/|url-status=dead}} This suggested that the investigation could now be picked up by Congress. He stressed that the central conclusion of his investigation was "that there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election. That allegation deserves the attention of every American."{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5597526/robert-mueller-statement-investigation/|title=How Mueller's Farewell Subtly Rebuked Trump|last=Vesoulis|first=Abby|date=May 29, 2019|magazine=Time|access-date=May 29, 2019|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209194323/https://time.com/5597526/robert-mueller-statement-investigation/|url-status=live}} He also stated: "If we had had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime".{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/29/politics/robert-mueller-special-counsel-investigation/index.html|title=Mueller: 'If we had had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so'|first=Jeremy|last=Herb|website=CNN|date=May 29, 2019|access-date=May 29, 2019|archive-date=May 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529140514/https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/29/politics/robert-mueller-special-counsel-investigation/index.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/us/politics/mueller-special-counsel.html |title= Mueller, in First Comments on Russia Inquiry, Declines to Clear Trump |first1= Sharon |last1= LaFraniere |first2= Eileen |last2= Sullivan |date= May 29, 2019 |website= The New York Times |access-date= May 29, 2019 |archive-date= January 26, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210126135207/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/us/politics/mueller-special-counsel.html |url-status= dead }}

The House Judiciary and Intelligence committees subpoenaed Mueller on June 25, 2019, with a letter saying that "the American public deserves to hear directly from you about your investigation and conclusions." Mueller reluctantly agreed to testify publicly with a scheduled date of July 17.{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2019/06/25/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testify-before-house-panels-july/mPZ8OvyQR75lz303v92hWN/story.html|title=Mueller agrees to testify before 2 House panels next month|last=Jalonick|first=Mary Clare|date=June 25, 2019|work=The Boston Globe|language=en-US|access-date=June 25, 2019|archive-date=June 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626032133/https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2019/06/25/special-counsel-robert-mueller-testify-before-house-panels-july/mPZ8OvyQR75lz303v92hWN/story.html|url-status=live}} This date was later pushed back to July 24.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/12/mueller-testimony-delayed-by-one-week-1412004|title=Mueller testimony delayed by 1 week|last1=Cheney|first1=Kyle|last2=Desiderio|first2=Andrew|last3=Bresnahan|first3=John|date=July 12, 2019|website=Politico.com|language=en-US|access-date=July 17, 2019|archive-date=July 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717023849/https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/12/mueller-testimony-delayed-by-one-week-1412004|url-status=live}} During his testimony, Mueller answered Republican Representative Ken Buck that a president could be charged with obstruction of justice (or other crimes) after the president left office.{{cite web |last1=Thomsen |first1=Jacqueline |title=Mueller: Trump could be charged with obstruction of justice after leaving office |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/454502-mueller-trump-could-be-charged-with-obstruction-of-justice-after/ |website=The Hill |date=July 24, 2019 |access-date=July 24, 2019 |archive-date=July 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724155507/https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/454502-mueller-trump-could-be-charged-with-obstruction-of-justice-after |url-status=live }}

Following the Trump–Ukraine scandal, the House of Representatives launched an impeachment inquiry against Trump in September 2019 but did not pursue an article of impeachment related to the Mueller investigation.{{cite news|title=Why Democrats sidelined Mueller in impeachment articles|first1=Kyle|last1=Cheney|first2=Heather|last2=Caygle|first3=John|last3=Bresnahan|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/10/democrats-sidelined-mueller-trump-impeachment-080910|work=Politico|date=December 10, 2019|access-date=October 8, 2021|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204115856/https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/10/democrats-sidelined-mueller-trump-impeachment-080910|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/10/democrats-ditch-bribery-mueller-trump-impeachment-articles-is-that-smart-play/|title=Democrats ditch 'bribery' and Mueller in Trump impeachment articles. But is that the smart play?|first=Aaron|last=Blake|date=December 10, 2019|access-date=October 8, 2021|newspaper=The Washington Post|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204234426/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/10/democrats-ditch-bribery-mueller-trump-impeachment-articles-is-that-smart-play/|url-status=live}}

{{Main|Reactions to the Mueller special counsel investigation}}

{{Main|Durham special counsel investigation}}

There have been numerous calls and requests to open a counter-investigation into the origins of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane probe, with attention on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) documents against Carter Page and the Steele dossier.{{cite news |url= https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/02/politics/barr-investigation-russia/index.html |title= Barr's investigation into origins of Russia probe expands |last1= Scannell |first1= Kara |first2= Marshall |last2= Cohen |website= CNN |date= May 2, 2019 |access-date= May 3, 2019 |archive-date= May 3, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190503013941/https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/02/politics/barr-investigation-russia/index.html |url-status= live }}{{cite web |url= https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/04/counter-investigations-into-mueller-are-about-to-begin.html |title= The Counter-Investigations Into the Mueller Report Are About to Begin |last= Stieb |first= Matt |date= April 10, 2019 |website= Intelligencer |language= en |access-date= May 3, 2019 |archive-date= April 19, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190419232253/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/04/counter-investigations-into-mueller-are-about-to-begin.html |url-status= live }}

On April 9, 2019, Attorney General William Barr testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee. Barr announced that the Department of Justice will be "reviewing the conduct" of the FBI's Russia probe. "I am reviewing the conduct of the investigation and trying to get my arms around all the aspects of the counterintelligence investigation that was conducted during the summer of 2016," Barr said.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/barr-testify-congress-first-time-mueller-summary-n992286|title=Barr 'reviewing the conduct' of FBI's 2016 probe of Trump team Russia contacts|website=NBC News|date=April 9, 2019 |language=en|access-date=May 3, 2019|archive-date=May 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503143857/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/barr-testify-congress-first-time-mueller-summary-n992286|url-status=live}} When asked whether he was suggesting that spying occurred, Barr said, "I think that spying did occur. But the question is whether it was predicated, adequately predicated. And I'm not suggesting it wasn't adequately predicated, but I need to explore that."[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBjC3DNbBH0 Video] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201215000216/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBjC3DNbBH0 |date=December 15, 2020 }} of April 10 hearing, by AP.

During Attorney General Barr's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 1, Barr again said he was looking into the origins of the FBI's Russia probe. "Many people seem to assume that the only intelligence collection that occurred was a single confidential informant [referring to Stefan Halper] and a FISA warrant," Barr stated. "I’d like to find out whether that is in fact true. It strikes me as a fairly anemic effort if that was the counterintelligence effort designed to stop a threat as it's being represented." When asked by Republican Senator John Cornyn "Can we state with confidence that the Steele dossier was not part of the Russian disinformation campaign" Barr responded "No. That is one of the areas that I am reviewing. I'm concerned about it. And I don't think it's entirely speculative."{{cite web |url= https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/01/william-barr-british-spy-dossier-1296785 |title= Barr reviewing Steele dossier's allegations |last= Bertrand |first= Natasha |website= Politico |language= en |date= May 1, 2019 |access-date= March 6, 2021 |archive-date= March 3, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210303072301/https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/01/william-barr-british-spy-dossier-1296785 |url-status= live }}{{cite news |url= https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/barr-testimony-mueller-report/h_a4ae587a9de41adad4968a75c63e17d7 |title= Barr says he "can't state that with confidence" that infamous dossier wasn't Russian disinformation |date= May 1, 2019 |website= CNN |language= en |access-date= May 3, 2019 |archive-date= May 3, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190503031308/https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/barr-testimony-mueller-report/h_a4ae587a9de41adad4968a75c63e17d7 |url-status= live }} When asked about FISA abuses by the DOJ and FBI during his testimony, Barr responded "These are the things I need to look at, and I have to say as I said before, to the extent that there was any overreach, it was a few people in the upper echelons of the (FBI) and perhaps the department, but those people are no longer there", Barr said.{{cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/democrats-expected-to-grill-attorney-general-over-his-depiction-of-muellers-findings/2019/04/30/f4ce673e-6ba4-11e9-be3a-33217240a539_story.html |title= Barr spars with Democrats over 'snitty' Mueller letter |last1= Barrett |last2= Zapotosky |last3= Demirjian |last4= Helderman |first1= Devlin |first2= Matt |first3= Karoun |first4= Rosalind |date= May 1, 2019 |newspaper= The Washington Post |access-date= May 2, 2019 |archive-date= May 1, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190501234432/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/democrats-expected-to-grill-attorney-general-over-his-depiction-of-muellers-findings/2019/04/30/f4ce673e-6ba4-11e9-be3a-33217240a539_story.html |url-status= live }}

Barr appointed a federal prosecutor, John Durham, to assist in the investigation.{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Kevin |title=Attorney General taps top Connecticut federal prosecutor for review of Trump-Russia inquiry |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/05/13/attorney-general-barr-john-durham-us-attorney-connecticut-review-trump-russia-investigation-origin/1195462001/ |website=USA TODAY |date=May 14, 2019 |access-date=May 17, 2019 |archive-date=May 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516002653/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/05/13/attorney-general-barr-john-durham-us-attorney-connecticut-review-trump-russia-investigation-origin/1195462001/ |url-status=live }} On October 24, 2019, news media reported that Durham had opened a criminal probe into the matter, giving him the power to empanel a grand jury and to compel testimony.{{cite news |last1=Katie Benner and Adam Goldman |title=Justice Dept. Is Said to Open Criminal Inquiry Into Its Own Russia Investigation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/24/us/politics/john-durham-criminal-investigation.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025000026/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/24/us/politics/john-durham-criminal-investigation.html |archive-date=2019-10-25 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=October 24, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 24, 2019 }} On December 1, 2020, the Associated Press reported that Barr had appointed Durham as a Special Counsel under the federal statute governing such appointments to conduct an investigation into "…the investigation of Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III," by which was meant the FBI personnel who worked on Crossfire Hurricane before joining the Mueller team.{{cite web|first1=Michael|last1=Balsamo|first2=Eric|last2=Tucker|title="Barr Appoints Special Counsel in Russia Probe Investigation"|date=December 1, 2020|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-12-01/barr-appoints-special-counsel-in-russia-probe-investigation|access-date=December 1, 2020|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201201714/https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-12-01/barr-appoints-special-counsel-in-russia-probe-investigation|url-status=live}}

On December 9, 2019, DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz released a report on the FBI's use of the FISA process and related matters, concluding that no "political bias or improper motivation influenced the FBI's decision to seek FISA authority on Carter Page," but also found 17 "significant inaccuracies and omissions" in the FBI's four FISA applications made to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to obtain warrants for the surveillance of Page.{{cite magazine |last1=Berenson |first1=Tessa |title=Inspector General Finds FBI Probe into Trump Campaign Was Justified, But Not Perfect |url=https://time.com/5746639/inspector-general-finds-fbi-probe-into-trump-campaign-was-justified-but-not-perfect/ |accessdate=December 30, 2019 |magazine=Time |date=December 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211153322/https://time.com/5746639/inspector-general-finds-fbi-probe-into-trump-campaign-was-justified-but-not-perfect/ |archive-date=December 11, 2019 |url-status=live }}

On May 7, 2020, the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released dozens of transcripts from the Russia probe which committee chairman Adam Schiff said "detail evidence of the Trump campaign's efforts to invite, make use of, and cover up Russia's help in the 2016 presidential election."{{cite web|title=House Intelligence Committee releases dozens of transcripts from Russia probe|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-intelligence-committee-transcripts-russia-investigation/|last=Gazis|first=Olivia|date=May 7, 2020|website=www.cbsnews.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-31|archive-date=May 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523221633/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-intelligence-committee-transcripts-russia-investigation/|url-status=live}} Top officials from the Obama administration also testified that they had no empirical evidence of a conspiracy between Trump associates and Russian officials.{{cite web|title=House intel transcripts show top Obama officials had no 'empirical evidence' of Trump-Russia collusion|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/intel-transcripts-obama-officials-no-empirical-evidence-trump-russia-collusion|last=Singman|first=Brooke|date=2020-05-07|website=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-31|archive-date=May 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530232923/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/intel-transcripts-obama-officials-no-empirical-evidence-trump-russia-collusion|url-status=live}}{{better source|date=March 2025}}

{{Portal|Law|Politics|United States}}

• Nobody Is Above the Law, a nationwide protest held on November 8, 2018
• RT America, the American arm of the Russian state media network RT
• Russian espionage in the United States
• Russian involvement in regime change
• Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, a proposed law that sought to protect the investigation
• Timelines related to Donald Trump and Russian interference in United States elections

{{reflist}}

• Mike Levine (July 23, 2019): The Russia probe: A timeline from Moscow to Mueller. Published by ABC News. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230702101241/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia-probe-timeline-moscow-mueller/story?id=57427441 Archived] [https://archive.today/20230702101251/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia-probe-timeline-moscow-mueller/story?id=57427441 from] [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia-probe-timeline-moscow-mueller/story?id=57427441 the original] on July 2, 2023.
• [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/28/visual-guide-roger-stone-wikileaks-side-russia-investigation/ "A visual guide to the Roger Stone-WikiLeaks side of the Russia investigation"], Washington Post, November 28, 2018
• [http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2018/politics/meet-the-mueller-team/ "Meet the Mueller team"], CNN. October 5, 2018.
• Frank, Thomas (January 12, 2018). [https://www.buzzfeed.com/thomasfrank/secret-money-how-trump-made-millions-selling-condos-to "Secret Money: How Trump Made Millions Selling Condos To Unknown Buyers."] BuzzFeed News.
• Yourish, Karen (December 10, 2017). [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/12/10/us/politics/trump-and-russia.html "Confused by all the news about Russia and the 2016 presidential election? We are here to help"] The New York Times.
• [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-the-secretive-nerve-center-of-the-mueller-investigation/2017/12/02/e6764720-d45f-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html "Inside the secretive nerve center of the Mueller investigation"], The Washington Post. December 2, 2017.
• Anderson, Robert (November 9, 2017). [https://time.com/5016175/robert-mueller-donald-trump-george-papadopoulos/ "How Robert Mueller Works a Case"], Time.

{{Commons category|Russian interference in 2016 United States elections}}

{{Wikisource|Comey Statement for the Record Senate Select Committee on Intelligence}}

{{Wikisource|U.S. v. Viktor Borisovich Netyksho, et al}}

• Full redacted report from the Special Counsel. Volume 2 begins on page 200. ([https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf Version hosted at Justice.gov]) (searchable).
• [https://archive.org/details/mueller_report Full redacted report from the Special Counsel. Volume 2 begins on page 200.] via Archive.org (searchable)
• [https://librivox.org/report-on-the-investigation-into-russian-interference-in-the-2016-presidential-election-by-robert-mueller/ Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election] at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
• [https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Mueller-Report-Audiobook/B07PXN468K Audio version of the Mueller report] from Audible (free registration needed)
• [https://www.justice.gov/sco Official Website of the United States Department of Justice: Office of Special Counsel] via Justice Department {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223220952/https://www.justice.gov/sco |date=February 23, 2018 }}
• [https://www.dhs.gov/news/2016/10/07/joint-statement-department-homeland-security-and-office-director-national "Joint Statement from the Department Of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security"], October 7, 2016. via DHS
• [https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/os-jcomey-060817.pdf James Comey's opening statement preceding the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on June 8, 2017] via US Senate
• [https://www.lawfaremedia.org/search-results?q=Mueller+investigation+litigation Litigation Documents Related to the Mueller Investigation] via Lawfare
• [https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5779699-Letter-to-Congress-detailing-Robert-Mueller-s.html Letter to Congress from Attorney General William Barr laying out the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation., March 24, 2019, 28 CFR § 600.9(c)] via ___?{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS).|date=March 2024}}

{{Mueller special counsel investigation|state=expanded}}

{{Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|state=expanded}}

{{First presidency of Donald Trump}}

{{Special prosecutors and independent counsels of the U.S.}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Special Counsel investigation, 2017}}

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