WASHINGTON – Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe has cost taxpayers another $4.6 million through the end of September.

His office released the latest tab on Friday, with the biggest chunk of money – about $2.9 million – going toward staffers salaries and benefits.

That brought the direct spending to $12.3 million.

With indirect expenditures added in, the number gets bigger. While it’s not “legally required” the special counsel’s office said that during the six-month period another $3.9 million was allocated to the Justice Department. That money would have been spent on investigations “irrespective of the existence of the [Special Counsel’s Office],” the report said.

The past two reports found that $5.5 million and $3.5 million were spent indirectly on the probe.

That would put the total tally at $25.2 million.

That’s a lot less money than what President Trump claimed in a late November tweet.

“When will this illegal Joseph McCarthy style Witch Hunt, one that has shattered so many innocent lives, ever end-or will it just go on forever? After wasting more than $40,000,00 (is that possible?), it has proven only one thing-there was NO Collusion with Russia. So Ridiculous!” Trump wrote.