Frida Ghitis, a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist. She is a frequent opinion contributor to CNN and The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author; view more opinion articles on CNN.

(CNN) Robert Mueller fired a searing barrage at President Donald Trump and issued a not at all hidden message for Congress and the American people.

Frida Ghitis

In a public statement -- before the cameras -- announcing the closing of the special counsel's office, which had investigated Russia's interference in the 2016 election, and his retirement from public service, Mueller chose his words carefully. He didn't offer a lot of new information, but he was very deliberate in what he selected to highlight from his 448-page report.

Reading between the lines, Mueller appeared to suggest that if he had not been shackled by Department of Justice regulations, the special counsel would have indicted the President. He said: "If we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so."

(The White House, in keeping with its appalling practice, quickly responded with a statement , "The report was clear -- there was no conclusion, no conspiracy -- and the Department of Justice confirmed there was no obstruction.")

But on this point Mueller was cuttingly clear: His investigation did not exonerate the President.

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