Critics are now taking a closer look at the arrangement in which Brittney Griner was released in exchange for controversial arms trader Viktor Bout, often known as the "merchant of death," as the news of her release settles.
Some people are particularly curious as to why Marine veteran Paul Whelan was not released. Former President Donald Trump is one of these critics; in a post on Truth Social, he referred to the agreement as "stupid" and "unpatriotic."
Brittney Griner Prisoner Swap
David Whelan, Paul's brother, responded to the president's remarks by saying they were "disappointing" coming from a former president, as per Fox News. Whelan also thanked Griner and her family on their release and said that "all Americans should be glad" that she had been released from unlawful confinement.
In a work camp in the Russian region of Mordovia, Paul Whelan has been detained by Russian authorities for more than four years. The Marine veteran faced up to 16 years in jail after being charged with espionage and spying for the United States government in 2018 when President Trump was in power.
Given that his government was unable to secure Paul's release, David Whelan criticized President Trump for his "disappointing" stance on the arrangement.
Paul Whelan has been left out twice under the Biden administration, most recently in the Brittney Griner-Viktor Bout trade. The first time was in April 2022 when Russian drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko was traded for Marine veteran Trevor Reed.
The Biden administration's decision to sanction a one-for-one trade between the basketball star and the Russian arms dealer has drawn criticism from several other quarters, who have questioned why.
Paul Whelan's Family Was Informed of Brittney Griner's Release
The US government and Whelan have both rejected the allegations of espionage that have kept him imprisoned in Russia since December 2018. When he was detained, he was leading worldwide security for a Michigan-based supplier of car components. Russia condemn him to 16 years in prison in 2020.
Per CNN, Paul Whelan said, "I was arrested for a crime that never happened," adding that he is "greatly upset that more has not been done to obtain my release, especially since the four-year anniversary of my incarceration is coming up."
Brittney Griner was held in February at a Moscow airport after Russian police said they discovered vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage. David Whelan said securing Griner's release was the "correct move" as opposed to "waiting for one that wasn't going to happen," NBC News reported.
According to a senior American official, the Kremlin planned to exchange Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who had spent 11 years of a 25-year sentence in the United States, for the return of Griner and Whelan.
However, the insider claimed that because Whelan is suspected of espionage, Russia has handled him differently and that, after considering many choices, the Kremlin eventually handed the White House the option of Griner or no one.
A senior US official was able to talk with Whelan from prison on Thursday and advise him of the results of the discussions, the official claimed. Griner, a player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, was released on Wednesday, and Whelan's sister was notified about the procedure on Wednesday.
Vladimir Zherebenkov, Whelan's Russian attorney, said that the transaction was a "one to one" swap and that picking Griner, 32, over Whelan because she is a woman and an Olympic winner was "more compassionate" because Whelan was in the military.
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