Elon Musk condemns Biden’s decision to free Brittney Griner but leave Paul Whelan behind

Elon Musk has condemned Joe Biden’s decision to offer a prisoner swap for Brittney Griner as former US Marine Paul Whelan languishes in a Russian jail.

The president announced Thursday that the US government was able to secure Griner’s release in exchange for a Russian arms dealer known as the “merchant of death.”

He insisted that he has not forgotten Whelan, who has been imprisoned for the past four years in a Russian gulag on espionage charges that US officials say are false, and vowed to keep working to bring the former Marine home.

But Biden was quickly condemned by a host of conservatives who suggested the president cares more about the celebrity than the US serviceman, who faces another 12 years behind bars.

Musk also tweeted Friday that the president “should never leave a Marine behind.” Never.’

His tweet came in response to another Twitter user who wrote: “Is anyone surprised that the Biden regime left a Marine behind after they abandoned the Americans in Afghanistan?”

Others also spoke out against the decision, with ‘Whelan’ trending on Twitter on Friday morning.

Rep. Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret from Florida, asked, “Where is US Marine Paul Whelan, who has been wrongfully held by Russia for much longer?” Celebrities before veterans?

Republican leader Kevin McCarthy also said it was ‘unconscionable’ to leave Whelan behind: ‘Merchant of death: that’s the nickname of the prisoner Biden returned to Putin. He was convicted of conspiring to kill US law enforcement.

“This is a gift to Vladimir Putin and it endangers the lives of Americans. Leaving Paul Whelan behind for this is inconceivable,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican and former Air Force pilot, tweeted: “So a basketball star is thrown, we can celebrate, but what about Paul Whelan? An American wrongfully detained for years.

“He may not be high profile, but he is innocent,” he said, adding: “This is a dangerous path.”

However, Whelan’s family has so far defended the Biden administration, saying the president had to treat his case differently because the former Marine is accused of espionage, while Griner was accused of bringing cannabis products into the country. .

Thus, the president was able to work with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to help secure the release of the Phoenix Mercury center in exchange for Viktor Bout, a notorious arms dealer who sold weapons to rogue states, rebel groups and drug lords. war assassins in Africa, Asia and the South. America.

Experts in the Russian security services have hinted that Bout has links to Russian intelligence.

But the US president had been under increasing pressure to bring Griner home, particularly after the recent resolution of his criminal case and his subsequent transfer to a penal colony.

He said from the White House Thursday that the administration remains “in close contact” with the Whelan family and sympathizes with their “mixed emotions” over Griner’s homecoming.

We will continue to negotiate in good faith for Paul’s release, I guarantee it. I tell the family. I guarantee it,’ said the president.

“I urge Russia to do the same, to ensure that Paul’s health and humane treatment are maintained until we can bring him home. I don’t want any American to be unjustly detained for another day if we can bring that person home.’

Following the news, Paul’s brother David issued his own statement saying the family is “I’m glad Brittney Griner is on her way home,” but I was disappointed that Paul was left behind.

“Despite the possibility that there could be a trade without Paul, our family is still devastated,” David said.

I can’t even imagine how Paul will feel when he finds out. Paul has worked very hard to survive almost four years of this injustice,” he added.

‘His hopes had been soared upon learning that the US government was taking concrete steps for once towards his release. He was worried about where he would live when he returned to the United States.

David went on to point out that this year would mark the fourth Christmas that Paul’s parents, aged 83 and 85, had spent with their son in a Russian prison.

“The likelihood that our parents will see their son again decreases each day that his wrongful detention continues,” he wrote.

“Increasingly, I worry that Paul himself will not survive 12 more years in a Russian labor colony. He has tried to stay healthy, but one wonders how long he can continue that determination to persevere.”

“I’m so glad Brittney Griner is on her way home,” David concluded. ‘There is no greater success than for a wrongfully detained person to be released and go home.

“The Biden administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home and make the deal that was possible, rather than wait for one that wasn’t going to happen.”

But David added: “As the use of unfair detention and hostage diplomacy continues around the world, it is clear that the US government must be more assertive.

“If bad actors like Russia are going to catch innocent Americans, the United States needs a faster and more direct response, and to be prepared in advance.”

Meanwhile, the Russian president vladimir putin He has said he is open to more prisoner exchanges with the US.

“We do not refuse to continue this work in the future,” Putin said after Bout arrived in Moscow and Griner landed in San Antonio, Texas, in the early hours of Friday morning.

Putin said “everything is on the table” and pointed to “compromises” found in the past.

‘This is the result of the negotiations and the search for compromises. In this case, compromises were found and we do not refuse to continue this work in the future,” Putin told reporters during a news conference in Kyrgyzstan on Friday morning.

A senior White House official also said CNN they believe that Moscow will continue to negotiate a deal on Whelan because there are “things they want in this world.”

“We’ve shown an openness to talk about what’s actually available to us, and we’ve only gotten a demand back for something that’s not available to us,” the official said, though he expressed optimism for Whelan’s future release.