Three questions about the Mueller Report

Three questions about the Mueller Report

Tomorrow, Attorney General William Barr is expected to release a redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's confidential "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election," shedding new light on his nearly two-year probe into possible coordination between Russia and President Trump and his campaign. The Department of Justice will release a public version on the special counsel's website.

Here are three questions to ponder as you digest the news:

1- Are there details in the report that shed new light on the specifics of foreign interference in the 2016 US election, revelations that can help the US and other countries safeguard the integrity of future elections?

The Mueller report is unlikely to reveal anything that US intelligence officials don't already know about Russian interference, and details that are unknown to most members of Congress are almost certain to be redacted. But if lawmakers gain access to parts of the report that reveal the specifics of a foreign government's election interference strategies and techniques, they can increase pressure on the president to take actions to address the vulnerabilities they reveal.

Russia is not the only actor using these tools, and the US is far from the only target. All elections are increasingly vulnerable to disinformation campaigns that originate outside their borders. If new details of past interference, or attempted interference, are made public, or at least shared privately with other intelligence agencies, the knowledge gained can protect future elections in other countries from different threats than those facing the US today.

2- Are there revelations in the report that enough people might consider evidence of "high crimes and misdemeanors" to add political pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to move toward impeachment?

Attorney General William Barr wrote in his four-page letter to Congress on the principal conclusions of the Mueller investigation that "the Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts." He also asserted that Mueller "did not draw a conclusion" on whether President Trump obstructed justice to thwart the investigation.

Yet, there may be multiple assertions in Mueller's report that Trump took actions that can be considered "high crimes and misdemeanors," offenses for which the president should be impeached. Impeachment is a political, not a legal, process. Nancy Pelosi has worked hard in recent weeks to beat back pressure from Democrats to push for impeachment because she believes such a move would damage her party politically. But the details of the Mueller report could make that more difficult.

3- Is there anything in the report that will make Trump backers or Trump haters change their minds about whether to vote for him?

Given the current extreme polarization of US politics, it's hard to imagine that anything in the Mueller Report will change the way people vote in 2020. Since the release of Attorney General Barr's letter on March 24, President Trump's poll numbers haven't changed much. That doesn't mean we shouldn't look for surprises when the document is released. Especially if Democrats can win the coming court battle to publish an unredacted version of it.

More from GZERO Media

Across North America and Europe, blackouts are becoming more common, often hitting when the demand peaks or when the weather turns extreme. The surging demand for power and new energy sources are putting pressure on the energy systems. Meeting today’s energy needs takes a flexible, pragmatic, “all-of-the-above” approach — drawing on all fuels and technologies. Learn how Enbridge is delivering reliable, affordable energy in uncertain times.

Amir Seaid Iravani premanent representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran speaks during the UN Security Council on June 24, 2025 in New York City.
John Lamparski via Reuters Connect

It’s not clear yet how much the US attack on Iran's nuclear sites this weekend set back the Islamic Republic's ability to develop atomic weapons, but experts say the airstrikes almost certainly threw a bomb into something larger: the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.

A pie graph showing the percentage of Americans in favor of having a third major political party.
Ico Oliveira

Remember when Elon Musk threatened to start his own political party during his spat with Donald Trump? It’s unclear how many Americans would switch their political affiliation to a Musk-run party specifically, but a plurality agree that they’d like another major political party to rival the Democrats and Republicans.

Open Call is the heart of Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to US manufacturing, supporting products made, grown or assembled in America. The pitch event represents a unique opportunity for selected entrepreneurs to meet face-to-face with Walmart merchants and earn a chance to get their products on store shelves nationwide. Last year, finalists from across the country represented 48 states, with entrepreneurs from over half these states receiving deals. It’s all a part of Walmart’s investment in American jobs and communities. Learn more about Walmart’s annual Open Call.

Last week, Microsoft released its 2025 Responsible AI Transparency Report, demonstrating the company’s sustained commitment to earning trust at a pace that matches AI innovation. The report outlines new developments in how we build and deploy AI systems responsibly, how we support our customers, and how we learn, evolve, and grow. It highlights our strengthened incident response processes, enhanced risk assessments and mitigations, and proactive regulatory alignment. It also covers new tools and practices we offer our customers to support their AI risk governance efforts, as well as how we work with stakeholders around the world to work towards governance approaches that build trust. You can read the report here.