Robert Mueller’s Family Says Former Special Counsel Was Diagnosed With Parkinson’s Disease in 2021

Former special counsel and former FBI director Robert S. Mueller III was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the summer of 2021, his family said, and has since scaled back public activity and retired from legal practice.

In a statement provided to the New York Times, Mueller’s family said he was diagnosed in 2021, retired from the practice of law at the end of that year and taught at his law school alma mater during the falls of 2021 and 2022 before retiring at the end of 2022. The family asked that his privacy be respected.

The disclosure followed reporting that members of the House Oversight Committee had sought to subpoena Mueller to testify in their review of the federal handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Sources told outlets that Mueller, 81, has recently experienced difficulty moving and speaking and would be unable to comply with a planned congressional request to testify this week.

Mueller led the Department of Justice inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election as special counsel and served as FBI director from 2001 to 2013. He has remained a prominent figure in legal and political circles since overseeing the 22-month Russia probe that produced a 2019 report detailing links and contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives, as well as allegations of obstruction of justice.

House investigators had indicated they wanted to question Mueller about aspects of the federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who died in custody in 2019. According to reporting, committee staff considered calling Mueller to help clarify the Justice Department’s decision-making and coordination with other agencies. Sources said concerns about his health and ability to testify factored into plans related to the subpoena.

Medical experts and advocates said Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that commonly affects movement, balance and speech. Symptoms often begin gradually and can include tremor, stiffness, slowness of movement and changes in voice and facial expression. The severity and progression of Parkinson’s can vary widely among individuals.

Officials and lawmakers who had pressed for Mueller’s appearance said they would respect the family’s privacy while pursuing documentary records and witness testimony relevant to the committee’s review. Committee staff have previously relied on written testimony, document requests and interviews with other officials to advance inquiries when key witnesses were unavailable for live testimony.

Mueller’s family statement did not provide clinical details beyond the timing of the diagnosis and the dates marking his retirement from legal work and teaching. The family’s request for privacy echoed a common practice of public figures disclosing health conditions through family statements that offer procedural details while withholding specific medical information.

Public disclosure of a high-profile figure’s Parkinson’s diagnosis can prompt renewed attention to how the condition affects daily life and public duties. In recent decades other public officials and well-known figures have disclosed Parkinson’s diagnoses and adjusted their public schedules, sometimes stepping back from speaking engagements, teaching roles or other appearances as symptoms evolved.

Mueller has participated in public testimony before Congress in the past. In July 2019 he testified before the House Judiciary and House Intelligence Committees regarding the special counsel’s report on the Russia investigation. Those appearances were marked by extended questioning about the report’s findings and about the Justice Department’s decisions following the investigation.

The family’s announcement arrived amid a renewed examination by Congress of federal responses to high-profile cases, including Epstein’s. Lawmakers pursuing those reviews have balanced requests for live testimony with document collection and depositions when witnesses are unable to appear in person because of health or other constraints.

Parkinson’s disease does not have a single known cause and is typically managed rather than cured. Treatment options include medications to address motor symptoms, surgical interventions for select patients and supportive therapies such as physical and speech therapy. Medical professionals stress individualized care plans and early intervention to maintain quality of life and function.

Mueller’s diagnosis and the family’s request for privacy concluded a period in which he had already reduced public-facing roles. After completing his tenure as special counsel, he returned for a time to teaching before stepping away from academic duties. The family statement confirms the timeline of his retreat from public and professional life.

Officials from the House committees involved in the Epstein inquiry declined to provide detailed comment on internal deliberations about subpoenas and witness availability. Congressional investigators typically review all available records and testimony to determine next steps, and health-related constraints on witnesses can lead to alternative approaches to gathering evidence.

Mueller’s career spans decades in public service, including leadership roles in the FBI and the Justice Department. The announcement of his Parkinson’s diagnosis renews public attention on how chronic neurological conditions intersect with the responsibilities and public roles of long-serving officials, and it underscores the balance between oversight needs and respect for personal medical privacy.

The family’s statement concluded by asking for privacy; congressional staff said they would continue to pursue documentary and testimonial avenues available to the committees while taking into account the circumstances described by the family.

(Reporting included statements released by Mueller’s family and accounts of committee plans reported to media outlets.)