Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Trump Calls Bout-Griner Swap ‘Embarrassment’ for US


Fri 09 Dec 2022 | 10:22 AM
Omnia Ahmed

Former US president Donald Trump slammed Thursday’s swap of Russian citizen Victor Bout for U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, calling it an "unpatriotic embarrassment."

"What a ‘stupid’ and unpatriotic embarrassment for the USA," Trump wrote on his Truth Social website.

Trump believed the swap was "totally one-sided," given the severity of Bout’s charges and Griner’s openly anti-American stance. He also asked why Paul Whelan, another American wrongfully detained in Russia, was not included in the transaction.

Griner, who was given a nine-year sentence for drug possession in August, was traded for Russian arms dealer Bout who was 11 years into a 25-year sentence.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “Washington categorically refused to engage in dialogue on the inclusion of the Russian in the exchange scheme. Nevertheless, the Russian Federation continued to actively work to rescue our compatriot.”

“As a result of the efforts made, it was possible to agree with the American side on the organization of the exchange of V.A. Bout for B.Griner. The Russian citizen has been returned to his homeland,” the statement read.

On his part, President Joe Biden thanked the UAE "for helping us facilitate Brittney's return because that's where she landed" en route back to the US.