GOP rips Brittney Griner deal for stranding Paul Whelan in Russia: ‘Celebrities over veterans?’

Republican lawmakers on Thursday criticized President Biden for a deal that brought back WNBA star Brittney Griner from a Russian prison camp but failed to free Paul Whelan, a US Navy veteran who has been jailed in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges, like the US government said are unfounded.

In return for Griner, the US agreed to send back to Russia the convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the “Dealer of Death”. Several Republicans said it was a bad deal given the serious allegations against Bout and that Biden missed an opportunity to get Whelan.

“If @POTUS releases a man convicted of aiding a terrorist organization and conspiring to kill American citizens, he should have at least got BOTH Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan in return,” tweeted Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, RN.Y. “A US Marine will be left behind in another bad deal by Biden.”

BRITTNEY GRINER RELEASED FROM RUSSIAN PRISON IN EXCHANGE FOR CONVICTED ARMS DEALER

Republicans have criticized President Biden for agreeing to a deal that freed NBA star Brittney Griner but still left US Marine veteran Paul Whelan in prison in Russia.

“Where is US Marine Paul Whelan who has been unjustly held by Russia for much longer?” tweeted Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla. “Celebrities instead of veterans?”

Waltz said in a separate tweet, “This is absolutely disgraceful,” and said Biden is prioritizing a celebrity over a veteran.

“SO @POTUS just traded an enemy who smuggles guns and helps shoot Americans for an American who smuggles drugs and shoots basketballs while a former US Marine Paul Whelan rots in a Russian jail,” Rep tweeted .Scott Perry, R-PA. “Let that sink.”

“President Biden has just handed back his ‘dealer’ to Russia while US Marine Paul Whelan is locked up in a Russian jail,” tweeted Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich. “We need justice for Paul. He should be coming home on that plane too.”

BRITTNEY GRINER’S LEGAL TEAM MEET WITH WNBA STAR AT RUSSIAN PENAL COLONY

Paul Whelan, a US Navy veteran arrested on charges of espionage, listens to the verdict in a courtroom of Moscow City Court June 15, 2020.
(Sofia Sandurskaya, Moscow News Agency photo via `, file)

“@POTUS @SecBlinken its been over 4 years since his incarceration,” tweeted Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill. “How long does his family have to wait? There is no room for weakness when the lives of innocent Americans are at stake.”

“This is now the second prisoner swap President Biden has left Paul Whelan behind,” tweeted Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich. “Paul is from the Marines and Michigan and has been wrongly imprisoned for 4 years. Absolutely heartbroken for the Whelan family. You deserve better.”

A Republican who just won a seat in November’s midterm elections, New Mexico’s John Block, broke the deal and said he prefers Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The Biden regime literally swapped Brittney Griner for Viktor Bout (the dealer of death) in Russia,” he tweeted. “Can’t make this stuff up… Biden just gave Putin exactly what he wanted.”

WHO IS VIKTOR BOUT, RUSSIA’S ‘MERCHANT OF DEATH’, FREED IN PRISONER EXCHANGE FOR BRITTNEY GRINER?

Other Republicans were less critical, but said more work needs to be done to bring Whelan and other Americans home. “I will continue my work with @RepHaleyStevens until all Americans wrongfully imprisoned abroad are free,” tweeted Rep. French Hill, R-Ark.

Some House Democrats made similar points. Texas Rep. Colin Allred agreed that the US “must remain committed to bringing home every American detained abroad.”

President Biden addresses the release of Olympian and WNBA player Brittney Griner from Russian custody December 8, 2022 at the White House in Washington, DC Griner was released as part of a prisoner swap involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“While we are very glad that Brittany Griner is returning home, we cannot forget that we still have Americans unlawfully imprisoned in Russia – particularly Paul Whelan,” tweeted Rep. Bill Keating, D-Mass. “I have been in touch with his family and they and Paul deserve all the efforts of our country to bring him home.”

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Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., Barbara Lee, D-Calif., Andy Levin, D-Mich. all tweeted that more work is needed to ensure the safe return of all Americans.

Pete Kasperowicz is the politics editor at Fox News Digital.