Tucker Carlson tears into Griner prisoner swap
Fox Information host Tucker Carlson tore into the White Home over the prisoner swap that secured the discharge of WNBA star Brittney Griner, accusing the administration of favoring Griner over former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.
Whereas officers pushed for the discharge of each Individuals held in Russia and stated Moscow didn’t give an choice for which one could possibly be launched, Carlson claimed the U.S. advocated more durable for Griner’s launch as a result of it could be extra fashionable with Biden voters.
He additionally knocked White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s feedback earlier Thursday providing a “private” reflection on Griner’s launch, when she spoke of Griner being “an vital position mannequin” for the LGBT and Black communities.
“So there’s Joe Biden’s press secretary telling you that Brittney Griner is vital as a result of she’s a lesbian lady of shade,” Carlson stated on his present.
“Within the view of the White Home press secretary, these are important {qualifications} for a prisoner swap,” he asserted.
Griner was freed on Thursday, practically 10 months after she was first arrested at a Moscow airport for carrying vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her baggage. She was sentenced to 9 years in jail this summer season and transferred to a Russian penal colony final month.
The Biden administration secured Griner’s launch by agreeing at hand over convicted Russian arms vendor Viktor Bout. Nonetheless, they have been unable to safe the discharge of Whelan, who was first arrested in 2018 on espionage fees and sentenced to 16 years in jail.
Whelan stated on Thursday that he was “significantly upset” that extra has not been carried out to acquire his launch.
Nonetheless, a senior administration official stated that the Russians solely gave the U.S. a “alternative between bringing residence one specific American, Brittney Griner, or bringing residence none.”
The official additionally famous that the espionage fees levied towards Whelan have made his launch harder.
“Regrettably as a result of nature of the sham espionage fees Russia levied towards Paul, the Russians have handled, proceed to deal with, his scenario in another way from Brittney’s and rejected every one in every of our proposals for his launch,” the official stated.
Carlson’s criticisms of Thursday’s prisoner trade echoed these of varied GOP lawmakers, who decried the Biden administration for releasing Bout and never releasing Whelan.
“This transfer to appease Vladimir Putin will solely encourage additional hostage taking by Russian safety forces,” stated Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), the Home Armed Providers Committee rating member. “Whereas I welcome the discharge of Brittney Griner, I can’t assist however take into consideration Paul Whelan — as he has apparently been deserted by the Biden administration.”
Former President Trump additionally attacked the swap as a “silly and unpatriotic embarrassment.”
“What sort of a deal is it to swap Brittney Griner, a basketball participant who brazenly hates our nation for the person often known as ‘The Service provider of Demise,’” he stated.
