'I wouldn't have made the deal for a hundred people in exchange for someone that has killed untold numbers of people with his arms deals,' Trump said.
The prisoner swap of American women's basketball player Brittney Griner for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has spearheaded news this week. This is while the fate of U.S. Marine Paul Whelan's life as a prisoner of Russia weighs in the balance.
"I turned down a deal with Russia for a one-on-one swap of the so-called Merchant of Death for Paul Whelan. I wouldn't have made the deal for a hundred people in exchange for someone that has killed untold numbers of people with his arms deals. I would have gotten Paul out, however, just as I did with a record number of other hostages."
"The deal for Griner is crazy and bad," Trump wrote on Truth Social."The taking wouldn't have even happened during my Administration, but if it did, I would have gotten her out, fast!"
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