Paul Whelan’s brother slams Trump following Brittney Griner’s release from Moscow prison
Following Brittney Griner’s December 8 release from a Moscow prison in a prisoner exchange deal that did not include ex-Marine Paul Whelan, critics of the deal – including ex-President Donald Trump – slammed the Biden Administration for leaving Whelan behind.
For background purposes, Griner was taken into custody about 10 months ago at the airport in Moscow while she was trying to leave the country after a basketball game. But while going through her luggage, customs officials came across some cannabis oil vape cannisters. She was detained, went to trial, and sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison. Paul Whelan was arrested in Russia on espionage charges four years ago in 2018. In 2020, he was sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison.
Whelan left the Marines in 2008 after receiving a “Bad Conduct Discharge” following court-martial convictions on charges that included dereliction of duty, attempted larceny, making a false official statement and wrongfully using another person’s Social Security number. In addition to the U.S., Whelan holds citizenship in the U.K., Ireland and Canada. ~ Newsweek
Paul Whelan and his followers have doggedly criticized Joe Biden for negotiating Griner’s freedom but not his. And Donald Trump was quick to jump on that train.
Trump took to his personal social media platform, Truth Social on Friday and blasted the current administration’s efforts for negotiating Griner’s release and not Whelan’s, while praising his own record of getting hostages freed from prisons around the world.
“The America hating basketball player for the ‘Merchant of Death,’ especially when the former Marine is not even included, is a one-sided disaster, and a BIG WIN FOR RUSSIA,” Trump wrote. “If I made that deal the Dems would chant, RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA!” ~ Donald Trump per Truth Social
But Paul Whelan’s brother, David Whelan, took to Twitter and slammed Donald Trump’s comments. David tweeted that Trump cared “zero” for Paul while he was president and that Trump, “appears to have mentioned my brother #PaulWhelan’s wrongful detention more in the last 24 hours than he did in the 2 years of his presidency in which Paul was held hostage by #Russia (zero). I don’t suggest he cares now any more than he did then (zero)”
One former Marine who did have his release from a Russian prison successfully negotiated is Trevor Reed, who was freed in a prisoner exchange deal this spring. Reed languished behind bars in Russia for nine years before his release.
In June, Reed sarcastically responded to a tweet by GOP Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio that claimed Trump “would have negotiated Brittney Griner’s release by now.”
“Yeah big thanks to President Trump for getting myself and Paul Whelan out of Russia,” Reed tweeted. “Not.”
Following Griner’s release, Joe Biden reported that, “the Russians are treating Whelan’s case differently from Griner’s and were unwilling to include him in the deal, but U.S. officials are continuing to work toward freeing him,” according to Yahoo! News.
In the video accompanying this article, journalist Joe Scarborough discusses how “Trump ignored Paul Whelan during the two years he was held in Russia on his watch.”
Posted by Richard Webster Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
