President Joe Biden held a Thursday morning press conference moments after news broke that Russia released Brittney Griner — WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist who was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison on drug possession and smuggling charges — in a one-to-one swap with international arms dealer Viktor Bout.
“We never forgot about Brittney,” the President said. “We never forgot about Paul Whelan.”
Although the Biden administration was successful in brokering a deal with Russia to swap Griner for Bout, a Russian arms dealer once labeled the “Merchant of Death.” The administration was unable to include Paul Whelan in the deal after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said they were in talks to free Whelan along with Griner.
The administration said Whelan, a corporate security executive and former marine from Michigan, who was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in Russian prison on espionage charges, prison release was a much different situation in comparison to Griner’s.
“For a totally illegitimate reason, Russia is treating Paul’s case differently,” Biden said. “We’ve remained in close touch with Paul’s family and we’ll keep negotiating on Paul’s release.”
Biden went on to address Russian officials, urging them to keep Whelan safe up until a potential release agreement.
Related Story — Sen. Lankford to Newsmax: Biden Upped Ante for Prisoner Swaps
Griner’s Russia arrest in February made her the most high-profile American jailed abroad. Her status as an openly gay Black woman, locked up in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LBGTQ community, infused racial, gender and social dynamics into her legal saga and made each development a matter of international importance.
In releasing Bout, the U.S. freed a former Soviet Army lieutenant colonel whom the Justice Department once described as one of the world’s most prolific arms dealers. Bout, whose exploits inspired a Hollywood movie, was serving a 25-year sentence on charges that he conspired to sell tens of millions of dollars in weapons that U.S officials said were to be used against Americans.
The Biden administration was ultimately willing to exchange Bout if it meant Griner’s freedom. The detention of one of the greatest players in WNBA history contributed to a swirl of unprecedented public attention for an individual detainee case — not to mention intense pressure on the White House.
The WNBA superstar’s wife, Cherelle, joined the President at his podium on Thursday to give her thanks to the people who helped bring her loved one home safely.
“For the last nine months, you have been so privy to one of the darkest moments of any life,” Cherelle Griner said. “I have sincere gratitude for President Biden and his entire administration.”
Cherelle Griner thanked Brittney’s team, the Phoenix Mercury, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association and Brittney’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, for their continued support and advocacy during her Russian containment.
“Today my family is whole, but as you all are aware, there’s so many other families who are not whole,” Cherelle said. “BG and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home, including Paul whose family is in our hearts today.”
Since assuming office in 2021, the Biden administration has brought home dozens of Americans who were wrongfully detained abroad.
“Reuniting Americans with their loved ones continues to be a priority,” the President said. “We strongly urge all Americans to take precautions including reviewing foreign policies before traveling overseas.”
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With traitorous Biden/Obamas, Gay Deserters and tatoo’d Black women dribblers take precedence in survival over Patriotic front line fighting Servicemen ,,,who get sent to the back of the survival bus faster than anything Rosa Parks experienced in life. The precedence set on our border where skin color, gender and votes takes place over law/order/security ignoring lots of spilled red human blood, should have predicted that true to form, Biden will always place his personal profit and self-interest over the people he was elected to serve and protect. Visions of the Afghanistan retreat all over again.
YOU can bet the russians will be using the merchant, to GET THEM MORE arms for the war in ukraine… AND WHAT WILL WE get? Oh yea, a hack player, who dopes up..
Great trade.. Should have just left her butt there.
Biden Trades ‘Merchant Of Death’ For Basketball Player, Leaves US Marine Behind,
“Her (Brittney Griner) status as an openly gay Black woman,” gives her a higher priority and more value than a straight, White, male, marine to this corrupt woke puppet president Biden and his Bidenites. 🙁 🙁 🙁
Ole Joe buying votes. Obviously she is worth more votes than the Marine.
SINCE HE’s a vet, a marine and a white guy, HE HAS NO worth.. TO biden etc..
i would have let the commies keep it uhhh i mean her.
The treachery is truly disturbing. Not to mention the fact that we gave up “The Merchant of Death” for someone who mistakenly (foolishly) took some hash into Russia. Shows how weak and dim-witted our sock puppet is!!
She should have been left to rot!!!!!!!!!!!~!!
I’m glad she’s out. I am always glad when any American gets out of a Russian prison.
That said, I wonder if she will have newfound respect for the national anthem because she didn’t respect it before. I will not hold my breath.
imo hell no, will she have learned any respect…
You think this is the finale for this Wokester? Just wait till we see the Book Deal she’s going to get!
AND likely a movie deal/tv deal too… AND YOU CAN BET, she will STILL Dis our anthem/flag..
Remember the Obama swap – army deserter Bowe Bergdahl for the 5 Taliban Terrorists? Shows it pays to grab Americans to trade for people who are actually loyal to their country.
YEs i do.. AND IT still sickens me to no end.
“Since assuming office in 2021, the Biden administration has brought home dozens of Americans who were wrongfully detained abroad”
Any Straight, White males???
So, this is what we’ve come to? If you’re lesbian, a woman and black, you’re more valuable than a white male Marine who probably trained harder than Brittany Griner ever did, or has? So valuable, in fact, we’re willing to trade the world’s most notorious arms dealer to bring her home?
I’ve nothing against Miss Griner. She, obviously, did something very stupid and foolish and nearly paid the price for it. That said, is she worth trading for a man who could end up killing someone she loves, cares about, or who could end up killing tens of thousands, or even millions of fellow Americans? I’ve never had a very high opinion of pro athletes to begin with, and this just makes my opinion of them even lower.
What Biden has done, in my book at least, is an impeachable offense. Sadly, though, principled Republicans don’t control the Senate, so that’s all a moot point. Best we can hope for is that, even as I speak, the CIA is planning the Merchant of Death’s assassination.
To Miss Griner: If you’ve ever wondered why there are homophobes and racists in this country, well, perhaps you should consider the fact that if you’re black, hispanic, LGBT, etc, that you get treated far better, these days, than the average straight white or Asian person does, some folks are gonna be a bit disgruntled, and upset. Bigotry in any form shouldn’t be accepted or tolerated, but you & President Biden aren’t really helping your case. Think about it…
Not just no, but HELL NO..
AND if the white house press liar was correct that the russians said “ITS either him for her, OR NO ONE at all”.. WE should have replied “FINE, NO ONE IT IS!”
This was like trading Mary Tyler Moore for Dr. Josef Mengele. Just wait till Putin has Comrade Viktor arming and equipping third -world thugs to augment the feckless “Invincible Red Army” for his paymaster.
I just hope we can survive two more years of this Confederation of Dunces and still have an America.
Treason. Nothing less.