As the Biden administration thinks about a possible prisoner exchange to bring WNBA star Brittney Griner back stateside, former President Trump couldn’t resist offering his thoughts — not that anybody asked for them. Trump said it “doesn’t seem like a very good trade” and claims Griner is “a potentially spoiled person” during a Friday podcast appearance, Yahoo News reports.
The current reported offer would see Griner, two-time Olympic gold medalist, seven-time WNBA All-Star, and U.S. Marine Paul Whelan be switched with convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout. However, Trump asserts that Griner went to Russia “loaded up with drugs” during an appearance on “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.” Griner was arrested when Russian officials claimed they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Griner also testified about her medical marijuana prescription for pain.
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“She knew you don’t go in there loaded up with drugs, and she admitted it,” Trump said Friday on the show. “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.”
Trump continued, “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.”
The assertion Trump wouldn’t make any deals to get her out of prison in Russia because she “makes a lot of money” is absurd. This ignores that Griner and other WNBA players often go overseas because they get paid better to play. Even as one of the league’s highest-paid players, Griner is making a base salary of $221,970 compared to the million she makes playing in Russia. Also, we must note this is a possible deal, not a final one. The main focus should always be getting Brittany back home by any safe means possible.
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