This all began when President Trump dismissed FBI director James Comey on May 9, 2017, who was investigating links between Trump and Russia. Then on May 17, 2017, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed a special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election. 

On March 20, 2019, the special counsel concluded the investigation and submitted the report to Attorney General William Barr. A redacted version of the report was released to Congress and the public on April 18, 2019. 

The report concluded that Russia did interference in the 2016 election in two ways. One way was a social media campaign that supported Trump’s presidential campaign. The second way was computer hacking and releasing of material from the Clinton campaign and the Democratic party.  

The investigation could not establish that the campaign conspired with the Russians. Even though the report identified multiple contacts between campaign officials and Russians.  

The report also talked about obstruction of justice. The investigation concluded that the president committed a crime, but it also did not exonerate him. The investigators were not confident that Trump was innocent. They describe episodes where Trump could have potentially obstructed justice before and after becoming president.  

The special counsel concluded that Congress must determine if Trump obstructed justice and they authority to act against Trump. 

The President and many of his supports have viewed the Mueller Report of clearing him of any crimes. Many Democrats have called for impeachment against President Trump. Republicans in Congress have largely viewed the report as a verification that the President is innocent.