Donald Trump mocks Joe Biden for wanting to exchange 'Merchant of Death' for 'SPOILED' Brittney Griner
Donald Trump has blasted Joe Biden, saying he does not believe exchanging an arms dealer labeled as the 'Merchant of Death' for jailed Brittney Griner is a "very good trade." "She knew you don't go in there loaded up with drugs, and she admitted it," Trump said of Griner on the 'The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show'. The White House has confirmed that it is working on a possible prisoner swap to free Griner, who was arrested after being found with two cannabis vape cartridges in her baggage, as well as Paul Whelan, who was accused of being a spy in Russia and given a 14-year sentence.
"I assume she admitted it without too much force because it is what it is, and it certainly doesn't seem like a very good trade, does it?" the ex-president continued. Speaking about the 'Merchant of Death' Viktor Bout, Trump said, "He's absolutely one of the worst in the world, and he's gonna be given his freedom because a potentially spoiled person goes into Russia loaded up with drugs."
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Ex-spook says Brittney Griner still in Russian custody as Joe Biden lacks 'gravitas' of Donald Trump
Donald Trump said Bout was receiving a "free card" because of the potential trade. "She went in there loaded up with drugs into a hostile territory where they're very vigilant about drugs," Trump said. "They don't like drugs. And she got caught. And now we're supposed to get her out — and she makes, you know, a lot of money, I guess. We're supposed to get her out for an absolute killer and one of the biggest arms dealers in the world. Killed many Americans. Killed many people."
The Russian government reportedly wanted the US to release Viktor Bout in exchange for Griner and Whelan. Whelan, who was accused of being a spy in Russia, was given a 14-year sentence. On the other hand, Bout was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill American citizens and is serving 25 years in prison at present.
Trump's former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said of Bout in an interview with Fox News this week, "He's a bad guy. He is a guy who wanted to kill Americans. It presents a real risk to the United States. There's a real reason the Russians want to get him home. To offer a trade like this is a dangerous precedent." He added, "This is not a good trade, not the right path forward, and it'll likely lead to more."
Meanwhile, a private school teacher who has been jailed for 14 years in Russia after being caught with medical weed has slammed President Joe Biden for not trying to free him despite his attempts at freeing Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. "Teachers are at least as important as bballers," Marc Fogel wrote in a letter. Fogel's letter comes as his wife Jane and two nieces are pushing Biden for his release after he was arrested in August 2021. Fogel was caught with 17 grams of prescription marijuana hidden in a contact lens case. The drug is forbidden in Russia. Fogel's son Ethan said that although his father was aware of the law, he thought he could get away with smuggling. He was eventually apprehended and imprisoned.