Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian collusion was taken over by the Justice Department.
Posted by The Daily Beast Podcast, Checked
- Sources
- 6 contradict2 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
The Daily Beast PodcastSep 8, 2026
The record shows Mueller was not displaced: he was appointed special counsel within the Justice Department in 2017, ran the probe himself for about 22 months, and delivered his final report to Attorney General Barr in March 2019, so the investigation was not taken over by DOJ after he stepped aside.
What was said
… Now, you will remember perhaps in the first um, although it is hard to remember in the first administration, that was a central theme. Uh, you know, what was the collusion with Russia? And I and that was we left that unresolved, partly because, because, um, Robert Muller, who was leading that investigation, kind of both punted it and got too old to finish it, and then it was taken over by the Justice Department, which trump's Justice Department which whitewashed the whole thing. But nevertheless, there is an enormous body of evidence about this, this weird, again, um, relationship between Trump and Putin, and it continues now to raise, constantly raise questions. …
The Daily Beast Podcast · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. Mueller completed the investigation himself: the special counsel's office concluded its probe after 22 months and Mueller delivered his report to Attorney General Barr on March 22, 2019, with no sign of his removal or replacement.[1][3][4]
Contradicts. The investigation was a Justice Department special counsel probe from the outset, appointed by Deputy AG Rosenstein in May 2017, so it was not handed to DOJ at a later point after Mueller left it.[2][5][6]
Context. Barr's March 2019 letter summarized Mueller's findings and found no evidence the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia; DOJ's role in releasing the findings is documented, but that is distinct from taking over the investigation.[1][7][8]
Sources
8 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 1 primary, 3 not rated, 2 tier 2
- 1DOJ: Trump Campaign Did Not Coordinate with Russia in 2016snopes.com · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts, context
- 2Ex-FBI chief Robert Mueller, who probed Russia-Trump campaign ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts
- 3Summary Mueller Reportjustice.gov · primary source · cited for: contradicts
- 42016 Presidential Election Investigation Fast Factskq2.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
- 5Robert Mueller takes over FBI's Russia investigation at pivotal momentabcnews.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
- 6Special counsel is named to take over investigation of Russia and ...latimes.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
- 7Mueller Report Findings: No Collusion, Can't Exonerate On ... - NPRnpr.org · tier 2 · cited for: context
- 8Mueller finds no Trump-Russia conspiracy - POLITICOpolitico.com · tier 2 · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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