(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) President Joe Biden appeared to take a jab at this predecessor, Donald Trump, regarding American citizens taken hostage after Trump left office.
On Thursday, the Biden administration announced the release of three American citizens who had been imprisoned in Russia.
During a press conference about the release, Biden was asked to respond to comments claiming Trump would have secured the hostages’ release more quickly. In response, Biden asked, “Why didn’t he do it when he was president?”
However, there is a slight issue with Biden’s response. Two of three American hostages were arrested while Biden was president, critics pointed out.
Two of the three hostages weren’t taken until Joe Biden was President. Are we really blaming Trump for not being able to time travel? @communitynotes
— Kylie Jane Kremer (@KylieJaneKremer) August 1, 2024
Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 on dubious espionage charges, while Biden had been in office for over two years. Russian-American editor Alsu Kurmasheva was detained in October 2023—more than three years after Trump left office.
Paul Whelan, the third released hostage, was the only detainee arrested in 2018. Trump had previously defended his inability to secure Whelan’s release, citing Russia’s disproportionate demands.
In a fired-up Truth Social post, Trump demanded the release of information about the prisoner swap deal between Russia and the U.S.
“How many people do we get versus them? Are we also paying them cash? Are they giving us cash (Please withdraw that question, because I’m sure the answer is NO)? Are we releasing murderers, killers, or thugs?” Trump wrote.
He added, “Just curious because we never make good deals, at anything, but especially hostage swaps. Our ‘negotiators’ are always an embarrassment to us! I got back many hostages, and gave the opposing Country NOTHING – and never any cash.”
Trump’s remarks referred to his successful effort to secure the release of Josh Holt, an American held captive in Venezuela since 2016, according to CNN. Trump achieved Holt’s release without exchanging any prisoners.
Bryan Nerren, another American, was released under Trump’s leadership after being detained in India for failing to declare $40,000 in customs. The funds were intended for religious conferences helping children in need in India and Nepal, reported The Jackson Sun.
