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Donald Trump revealed on his social media program, Truth Social, over the weekend that he turned down a deal that would have freed ex-Marine Paul Whelan in exchange for the notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, and international arms dealer.
The Biden administration released Bout, a man responsible for supplying weapons to some of the most vicious warlords in the world, in exchange for WNBA star and olympian Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison after pleading guilty for smuggling cannabis oil into the country. Bout has also been of use to the US, who retained his services to ferry supply shipments into Iraq during the Gulf War.
"I wouldn't have made the deal for a hundred people in exchange for someone that has killed untold numbers of people with his arms deals," Trump wrote on Sunday, insisting that he would have been able to free Whelan without needing to make such a trade.
"I would have gotten Paul out, however, just as I did with a record number of other hostages," he added.
Whelan was taken into custody by Russian authorities in 2018 and sentenced to 16 years in a maximum security prison on espionage charges that American authorities believe to be false.
The Biden administration has been allegedly trying to negotiate his freedom with their Russian counterparts, but it was revealed last week that the White House had specifically prioritized the release of Griner over the former Marine.
"I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up," Whelan told CNN after learning out about the prisoner swap. "I was arrested for a crime that never occurred. I don't understand why I'm still sitting here."
Republicans have been tearing into the White House since this deal was arranged, questioning why a professional athlete was chosen over a former-Marine.
"The deal for Griner is crazy and bad," Trump said in his social media post, claiming that the "taking wouldn't have even happened during my administration."
"But if it did, I would have gotten her out, fast!" Trump adds.
Griner is now back on US soil following the high profile prisoner swap that took place on the tarmac of an airport in Abu Dhabi, a deal that was allegedly brokered by Saudi Arabia.
The Biden administration released Bout, a man responsible for supplying weapons to some of the most vicious warlords in the world, in exchange for WNBA star and olympian Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison after pleading guilty for smuggling cannabis oil into the country. Bout has also been of use to the US, who retained his services to ferry supply shipments into Iraq during the Gulf War.
"I wouldn't have made the deal for a hundred people in exchange for someone that has killed untold numbers of people with his arms deals," Trump wrote on Sunday, insisting that he would have been able to free Whelan without needing to make such a trade.
"I would have gotten Paul out, however, just as I did with a record number of other hostages," he added.
Whelan was taken into custody by Russian authorities in 2018 and sentenced to 16 years in a maximum security prison on espionage charges that American authorities believe to be false.
The Biden administration has been allegedly trying to negotiate his freedom with their Russian counterparts, but it was revealed last week that the White House had specifically prioritized the release of Griner over the former Marine.
"I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up," Whelan told CNN after learning out about the prisoner swap. "I was arrested for a crime that never occurred. I don't understand why I'm still sitting here."
Republicans have been tearing into the White House since this deal was arranged, questioning why a professional athlete was chosen over a former-Marine.
"The deal for Griner is crazy and bad," Trump said in his social media post, claiming that the "taking wouldn't have even happened during my administration."
"But if it did, I would have gotten her out, fast!" Trump adds.
Griner is now back on US soil following the high profile prisoner swap that took place on the tarmac of an airport in Abu Dhabi, a deal that was allegedly brokered by Saudi Arabia.
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