‘Loaded up with drugs’: Trump slams possible prisoner swap with Russia

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Former President Donald Trump ridiculed the prisoner swap the Biden administration is negotiating with the Kremlin in order to secure the return of two Americans the administration considers wrongfully detained.

The Russians, per the U.S. government, are wrongfully detaining WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, though she has pleaded guilty to drug charges, and Paul Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020 on espionage charges that he denies. There have been various reports that the United States’s proposal would result in the return of Whelan and Griner in exchange for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who has been accused of selling weapons to various accused war criminals.

US MAKES ‘SUBSTANTIAL PROPOSAL’ TO RUSSIA FOR GRINER AND WHELAN’S RELEASE

Trump, in a Friday interview on The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, spoke about Bout, whom he characterized as “absolutely one of the worst in the world” while also taking a shot at Griner for her arrest, which occurred in February, when she was found allegedly having brought vape cartridges into the country.

“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. And he’s gonna get a free card, and we’re gonna get her,” Trump said, talking about Bout. “She knew you don’t go in there loaded up with drugs, and she admitted it. 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?”

“They’re very vigilant about drugs. They don’t like drugs. And she got caught. And now, we’re supposed to get her out,” he explained.

Last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that the U.S. had made a “substantial proposal” to the Kremlin for the swap, and he also spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Blinken said on Friday that he had “pressed” his Russian counterpart to accept the deal when they spoke last week.

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Griner’s trial is ongoing. She pleaded guilty and is facing a 10-year prison sentence in the Russian judicial system, which overwhelmingly finds the accused guilty. During the trial, she admitted that she unintentionally brought the cartridges and that they were prescribed to her by a doctor.

David Whelan, Paul’s brother, responded to the comments from the former commander in chief, saying, “This is no surprise, coming from someone who lacked the courage to even attempt to secure #PaulWhelan‘s freedom. American citizens deserve better. Paul lost years of his life due to the Trump Administration’s incompetence/fear of Russia.”

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