Politicians, Hollywood stars, and media elites spent roughly two years echoing the words “Mueller is closing in” as they fantasized about President Donald Trump and his family being indicted over so-called Russian collusion during the 2016 presidential election. But on Sunday, the Department of Justice announced that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation did not find evidence that the president’s campaign “conspired or coordinated” with the Russian government, “despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.”

“To my fellow Trump critics: Do not despair. Do not give up. Do not reduce your outrage,” tweeted actor Tony Schwartz reacting to the president’s 2017 tax bill, “Tax cuts are a fake victory that will come back to haunt him & Republicans. Mueller is closing in on Trump, I promise!”

To my fellow Trump critics: Do not despair. Do not give up. Do not reduce your outrage. Tax cuts are a fake victory that will come back to haunt him & Republicans. Mueller is closing in on Trump, I promise! — Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) December 21, 2017

“If true, the Buzzfeed story is a political earthquake. Caution: we really know little; Mueller knows much. Time to be steady, let facts lead us to truth — The walls do appear to be closing in.” tweeted journalist Dan Rather in reference to an anti-Trump BuzzFeed report from January, which turned out to be fake news.

If true, the Buzzfeed story is a political earthquake. Caution: we really know little; Mueller knows much. Time to be steady, let facts lead us to truth. But at almost every turn in this national nightmare, implausible has become plausable. The walls do appear to be closing in. — Dan Rather (@DanRather) January 18, 2019

Check out a few more of the politicians, Hollywood stars, and media elites who fantasized about “Mueller closing in” on the president and his family over the Russia collusion hoax.

Trump knows Mueller is closing in fast. So now, he’s gonna bring down the whole fucking thing with him. Brace yourselves. — andy lassner (@andylassner) December 20, 2018

The economy is slowing, the Dow is tanking, Mueller is closing in, North Korea still has nukes, Putin is getting his way in Syria, and yet Republicans in Congress are willing to shutdown the government over Trump’s stupid wall that Mexico was supposed to pay for. What a disgrace. — Andrew Weinstein (@Weinsteinlaw) December 20, 2018

With latest plea deal, Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation is closing in on President Trump https://t.co/MfQgCqVuj4 pic.twitter.com/LNlsBeJ1cG — CNN (@CNN) December 3, 2017

This gov. Shutdown is designed to keep the focus off the Russian investigation . Mueller is closing in. Lock them up! — Tommy Chong (@tommychong) January 20, 2018

Mike Pence has shown Mueller a huge tell. His call to end the investigation tells the Special Counsel he’s closing in on guilt. And the only thing Michael Cohen is “fixing” is Donald Trump’s criminal wagon. Guessing that POTUS doesn’t know whether to shit or wind his watch. — Rob Reiner (@robreiner) May 10, 2018

Do NOT fall for @realDonaldTrump's LIES. Mueller is closing in on Trump and the rest of Team🇷🇺Traitor. There is NO way out.😎#MuellerIsComing#TrumpRussiahttps://t.co/Q1pYfCoDQu — Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) June 7, 2018

With Mueller’s investigation and other turmoil closing in on @realDonaldTrump, he focuses instead on a fake tough guy fight with Joe Biden. Trump continues to prove that he is incapable of providing the steady leadership we deserve from our president. — Mike Levin (@MikeLevinCA) March 22, 2018

1. Mueller is closing in on Trump His campaign manager and longtime attorney have already gone down Now Trump, his family, and his businesses are at risk Yesterday, Trump and his allies laid out his scheme to muzzle Mueller https://t.co/2Bc1EUtszS — Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) August 24, 2018

There is no question that Roger Stone is under investigation and that Mueller is closing in, given his recent interviews of Stone's associates. This appears to be Stone's way to get out in front of potential charges. https://t.co/WJsBLVFtGC — Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) August 30, 2018

This is what scares me most: when Trump knows Mueller is closing in, he'll start a war to change the subject. https://t.co/v2e0lkHa9T — Amy Siskind 🏳️‍🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) November 9, 2017

Robert Mueller is closing in on Trump. Congress must protect his investigation | Max Bergmann and Max Boot https://t.co/65ijdrN6AJ — The Guardian (@guardian) December 12, 2017

If @washingtonpost is correct that McMaster will be fired, we should all worry, Tillerson & McMaster both made strong statements against Russia, and each would be removed soon after. The administration will again become a nutty palace w/ Mueller investigation closing in — Clint Watts (@selectedwisdom) March 16, 2018

Mueller is closing in on collusion. https://t.co/ATI6IgJ0gT — Eric Garland (@ericgarland) October 5, 2017

Thanks to @sam_vinograd for reminding us how long Rick Gates worked for Trump. And for Manafort. Mueller is closing in. — Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) February 24, 2018

If Trump is crumbling psychologically now imagine what it is going to be like when the walls really start closing in, with a Dem Congress investigating, with Mueller getting to Act II and III. He'll be little more than a quivering bowl of orange jello. — David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) August 23, 2018

2 tales on parallel tracks:

Team Trump is confidently rooting out "deep state" corruption

versus…

Trump is panicking & lashing out because Mueller is closing in https://t.co/tsVvJAyB6T — Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 18, 2018

Mueller is closing in. Your whole family is going down. You won't be able to hurt American democracy any more. #LockHimUp — Steven Boyer (@SteveBoyer5000) October 6, 2017

First son Donald Trump Jr. said in a statement on Sunday that Attorney General William Barr’s letter to Congress on the Mueller report has finally proven “what those of us with sane minds have known all along.”

As for everybody else, their focus appears to be shifting onto the Attorney General and even the Special Counsel, as House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) calls on William Barr to testify before Congress, and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) floats the idea of subpoenaing Robert Mueller.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo and on Instagram.