Biden admin. continues to face backlash over prisoner swap


Cherelle Griner (L), wife of Olympian and WNBA player Brittney Griner, speaks after U.S. President Joe Biden announced her release from Russian custody, at the White House on December 08, 2022 in Washington, DC. Griner was released as part of a prisoner swap that involved Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Biden was joined by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Vice President Kamala Harris. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Cherelle Griner (L), wife of Olympian and WNBA player Brittney Griner, speaks after U.S. President Joe Biden announced her release from Russian custody, at the White House on December 08, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 1:20 PM PT – Monday, December 12, 2022

President Biden continues to come under fire over the infamous prisoner swap of Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Backlash continues over the Biden administration’s move to exchange Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for WNBA player Brittney Griner.

The 45th President took to Truth Social on Sunday, saying he had an opportunity to exchange Bout for Marine veteran Paul Whelan but turned down the offer. He added that he would not have made the deal for 100 people in exchange for someone that killed an untold numbers of people with his arms deal.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also criticized the Biden administration for the exchange, saying it sends the wrong message and it threatens National Security.

“Those who hold Americans in detention, see that if you take a celebrity, the chance of getting one of your bad guys back out of American control is greater,” Pompeo said. “I think for people out there of notoriety, it is more likely they will be taken hostage today, and that is not a good policy”.

Many took to social media using memes to mock the prisoner. Some people encouraged President Biden to read Trump’s book, “The Art of the Deal.”

It is all but certain that the Biden administration’s latest move will become a talking point for Republicans heading into the 2024 election cycle.

In the meantime, White House officials are planning a meeting on Monday to try and secure the release of Paul Whelan from Russia.

An official from the National Security council told CBS, the meeting is part of the Biden administration’s “continued work” on Whelan’s case and described it as routine.





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