GOP lawmakers respond after Biden swaps Russian ‘death merchant’ for Brittney Griner, excluding Paul Whelan

President Biden introduced a prisoner swap with Russia on Thursday, providing Russian arms supplier Viktor Bout in trade for Brittney Griner. Nonetheless, some conservatives are amiss that the president excluded American Paul Whelan. 

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, took to Twitter demanding a solution from the Biden administration on why the Iraq conflict veteran was excluded from the deal. 

“This was probably not a easy ‘select her or him’ scenario. But when it was, you select the man that served our nation, Paul Whelan. We should always get an evidence from this administration instantly,” Crenshaw wrote.

Those self same sentiments have been shared by Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Illinois, who merely requested: “What about retired marine who has been unjustly detained for years, Paul Whelan?”

BRITTNEY GRINER RELEASED FROM RUSSIAN PRISON IN SWAP FOR CONVICTED ARMS DEALER

He added: “Certainly an arms supplier is price two harmless individuals?”

In a subsequent tweet, Kinzinger congratulated Griner on her launch and defended that calling for Whelan’s launch was not “unreasonable.”

“It isn’t in any approach partisan, or unreasonable, to each congratulate Brittany on her freedom whereas being essential that the person who has been in captivity for years, was once more left out. I’ve been engaged on this for years after receiving this three years in the past immediately,” the Republican lawmaker wrote.

The rep additionally shared an announcement from Jonathan Franks, the spokesperson for Carry Our Households House, who additionally congratulated Griner’s launch whereas saying Whelan “deserves higher” from the Biden administration.

“We rejoice the lengthy overdue return of Brittney Griner and her protected return residence to her spouse, household, teammates, and the WNBPA who fought for her relentlessly,” the marketing campaign spokesperson stated. “Whereas we rejoice Brittney’s homecoming, our hearts break for the Whelan household. Paul Whelan has been let down and left behind at the least thrice by two Presidents.”

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner speaks to her attorneys standing in a cage at a courtroom room previous to a listening to, in Khimki simply outdoors Moscow, Russia, July 26, 2022. 
(Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool through REUTERS)

BRITTNEY GRINER’S LEGAL TEAM MET WITH WNBA STAR AT RUSSIAN PENAL COLONY: ‘DOING AS WELL AS COULD BE EXPECTED’

Franks added: “He deserves higher from his authorities, and our Marketing campaign implores President Biden to urgently safe Paul’s quick return utilizing all instruments out there.”

On Thursday, Fox Information host Tucker Carlson equally argued that “Paul Whelan’s case can be a precedence for any American authorities.”

“Right here you’ve gotten a person who’s actively served the USA within the Marine Corps after which presumably as an intel asset in a hostile international nation. That man is languishing in a Russian jail cell for the remainder of his helpful life,” Carlson added throughout a phase on “Fox Information Tucker Carlson Tonight.”

He continued: “So not surprisingly, American authorities in Washington promised to do every thing attainable to carry this man residence. But it surely seems they did not imply a phrase of it.”

Throughout Biden’s announcement earlier within the day, he referenced Whelan and stated immediately’s prisoner swap was “not a alternative of which American to carry residence.”

“Sadly, for completely illegitimate causes, Russia is treating Paul’s case in a different way than Brittney’s,” the president stated. “And whereas we’ve not but succeeded in securing Paul’s launch, we’re not giving up. We’ll by no means surrender.”

White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre echoed these remarks throughout an trade with Fox Information report Peter Doocy. 

“On this prisoner swap, why did Russia get such a greater deal?” Doocy plainly requested. 

OOPS! WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JEAN-PIERRE READS WRONG SCRIPT DURING BRIEFING

“The selection was Brittney or nobody in any respect. Carry residence one American or no American in any respect,” Jean-Pierre responded. 

Doocy continued: “We received an expert athlete however we gave up a prolific arms supplier who was convicted of attempting to kill Individuals who was referred to as the ‘service provider of demise’ —.”

On this picture constituted of video offered by Russian Federal Safety Service, WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner sits within the airplane as she flies to Abu Dhabi to be exchanged for Russian citizen Viktor Bout, in Russia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. 
(Russian Federal Safety Service through AP)

” — the skilled athlete can be an American citizen,” Jean-Pierre interjected. “So, let’s not neglect that.”

COWBOYS STAR RIPS BIDEN OVER BRITTNEY GRINER RELEASE, WALKS BACK SCATHING TWEETS

She added: “The president stated this was the perfect alternative to carry Brittney residence and he’s going to proceed to do every thing he can to carry Paul Whelan residence identical to he did Trevor Reed.”

Trevor Reed is a US citizen and former Marine who was launched through a prisoner swap with Russia in April 2022. 

Throughout an look on MSNBC’s “Alex Wagner Tonight,” Jean-Pierre steered Russia views Whelan as a spy, or totally different than an bizarre U.S. citizen.

“However sadly, regrettably, Russia was not negotiating in good religion with Paul Whelan as a result of they categorized him very in a different way. They illegitimately charged him for one thing that, once more, that was illegitimate. And so, due to this fact, we weren’t in a position to safe his launch,” she stated. “However we wish to make it very clear the president needs to make it very clear that he’ll proceed to verify to carry Paul residence safely and safe his launch.”

The White Home spokesperson additionally dismissed any inclination that Biden might have negotiated the deal additional to incorporate Whelan.

“I am going to say this, this isn’t a choice that this president that President Biden made frivolously. He believed this was a chance to carry Brittany residence and he wished to guarantee that was we’re ready to do this,” she stated.

Jean-Pierre concluded: “Look, this deal was particular and really and really focused at Brittany as a result of we knew we had a deal and we knew we have been in a position to safe her launch.”