Trump: Jailed Brittney Griner Trade for Merchant of Death Killer Not a Good Deal July 31 2022
The US government is trying to make a deal to bring US Olympic basketball player Brittney Griner home.
Griner is accused of drug smuggling and is under arrest until December 20 for attempting to smuggle cannabis oil out of Sheremetyevo Airport.
According to the Russian government, Griner and another American, also incarcerated, could be exchanged for Viktor Bout, known as the "Merchant of Death."
President Donald Trump reacted to the potential trade in an interview on the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show.
"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? 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."
Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said last week that the Kremlin and U.S. officials have engaged in talks but “there has been no concrete result yet. We proceed from the assumption that interests of both parties should be taken into account during the negotiations."
The President went on to say, "She went in there loaded up with drugs into a hostile territory where they’re very vigilant about drugs. 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."
Griner was arrested in February after customs found “vapes” with hashish oil in her bags at the airport near Moscow. She faces a potential 10-year prison sentence and pleaded guilty earlier this month.
