U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan’s brother, David, didn’t take too kindly to former President Donald Trump calling out President Joe Biden for not including Whelan in the Russian prisoner swap.
David Whelan, the brother of Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia since 2018, took to Twitter to express his displeasure that former President Donald Trump had criticized the Biden administration for not including Whelan in the deal with Griner.
Whelan took to Twitter on Friday (December 9) to state that Trump had mentioned his brother Paul more in the 24 hours followings Griner’s release announcement than Trump did during the two years of his Presidency when Whelan was first held hostage.
The brother of the U.S. Marine veteran added that he didn’t believe Trump cared more now than he did in 2018, 2019, and 2020, asserting that the former President didn’t care.
The Biden administration had secured the release of WNBA player Griner by agreeing to release Viktor Bout from U.S. federal prison.
Bout was serving 25 years in federal prison for his prolific arms dealing. Bout was nicknamed the “Merchant of Death” since his arms fueled wars in countries like Rwanda, Afghanistan, and Sudan.
U.S. officials arrested him after a sting operation uncovered he would agree to supply Columbian terrorist group arms to attack U.S. citizens.
Many critics have criticized the deal given the nature of the crimes committed, wondering why the Biden administration didn’t negotiate Whelan into the deal to make it an even trade with Russia.
But Trump, taking to Truth Social, suggested Whelan should have been exchanged instead of Griner, who he described as some who “openly hates our country.”
