President Joe Biden on Thursday announced the release of 24 detainees, including high-profile Americans such as Paul Whelan, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. The historic prisoner swap with Russia marks the largest exchange since the Cold War, concluding intense negotiations by the Biden administration.
During a press conference following the announcement, President Biden was questioned about former President Donald Trump’s criticisms of the deal. Trump had previously claimed on Truth Social that he alone could secure Gershkovich’s release from Russian President Vladimir Putin, writing, “Evan Gershkovich, the Reporter from The Wall Street Journal, who is being held by Russia, will be released almost immediately after the Election, but definitely before I assume Office… and WE WILL BE PAYING NOTHING!”
When a reporter asked Biden for his response to Trump’s assertion that he could have secured the hostages’ release without any concessions, Biden retorted, “Why didn’t he do it when he was president?”
Gershkovich and Kurmasheva were both arrested when Biden was already president, although Whelan was arrested in 2018 during Trump’s presidency.
Biden’s comment echoed previous statements by former Trump National Security Council official Fiona Hill, who told CBS in 2022 that Trump “was not particularly interested” in Whelan’s case.
In response, Trump blasted the Biden administration’s negotiating team, calling the deal an “embarrassment.” He questioned the details of the swap on Truth Social, asking, “So when are they going to release the details of the prisoner swap with Russia? How many people do we get versus them? Are we also paying them cash?” He continued, “Our ‘negotiators’ are always an embarrassment to us! I got back many hostages, and gave the opposing Country NOTHING – and never any cash. To do so is bad precedent for the future. That’s the way it should be, or this situation will get worse and worse.”
“They are extorting the United States of America. They’re calling the trade ‘complex’ – That’s so nobody can figure out how bad it is!”
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8 Responses
And will Trump bring back all Gaza hostages without any concessions?
Trump’s jealous. He claims he would have a special relationship with Putin, and it turns out Biden (or more likely, Biden’s staff) were successful. It clearly makes Trump with his pro-Putin orientation look weak and foolish.
The problem can be prevented in the future by a complete ban on Americans visiting Russia, including cancelation of the passports of any American who visits or trades with Russia. We might consider similar policies vis a vis China and North Korea. Of course, the Progressive Democrats will want such a policy against Israel.
Akuperma makes an excellent point. Without travel prohibitions and really harsh sanctions for travel in violation of the ban (w/o a waiver), the countries now see a clear path to obtain leverage with the U.S. by taking our citizens hostage. There will always be political pressures for pidyon shivuim even if someone is taken hostage while traveling in violation of the ban but we have to draw a line somewhere or this issue will only escalate.
@ DavidtheKanoi
It’s important to know history because history repeats itself.
Look what happened back in the late 70’s when the US had a weak leader in the White House. The Iranians took over the US Embassy and held some of the staff hostage for a year and a half. What happened the day President Reagan, a true leader that they were terrified of, was sworn in? They were all released with no concessions.
When President Trump was in the White House none of this went on. When they sniffed that a weak hair sniffing president was in the White House (and giving them access to multiple billions of Dollars) they started their aggression again.
Unfortunately there may be some hostages who are ר״ל no longer alive but I have faith in השם and his שליח, President Trump, to get the live hostages back without making dangerous concessions (by bringing Iran back to the verge of collapse).
@akuperma:
There is nearly nothing accurate or actionable in comment.
Most concerning in your comment is the idea that we entirely bar Americans from visiting Russia.
This isn’t some tiny third world dictatorship, this is the USA with all the rights and freedoms (and diversity) that comes along with that.
There are millions of Americans who have family or business interests in Russia. (Not as much business interests as before the war, but they are still plenty)
It would likely be totally unconstitutional to implement such a policy in any form.
There have been challenges in revoking the passports and/or citizenship of Americans who have literally joined terror organizations.
Barack Hussein Obama got all sorts of flak for killing Al Awlaki who was an actual Al Qaeda leader who had ties to two separate terror attacks on American soil.
There goes the impotent, lazy, do nothing cry baby again. Those who were released during his administration, WERE exchanged for prisoners we were holding. He is a blatant liar and psycho.
Just be sure of this, trump would have preferred that these poor suffering American citizens remained imprisoned rather than see Biden carry out their release. Think about that.
There is nothing unconstitutional about imposing travel bans if implemented through rules restricting any dollar transactions with a designated terrorist state. If you want to walk across the border and not make any purchases of goods or services while you are in a terrorist state, thats your option. And also, don’t expect any State Department counsel to render assistance if you are dragged off to a Gulag.