CBS News says it learned about the US-Russian prisoner swap that freed WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday last week, but withheld reporting at the White House’s request.
Thursday morning, “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan came on the network’s morning broadcast to share the news of Griner’s release from Russian prison.
Griner, 32, returns to the United States after the Biden administration agreed to return Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms dealer known as the “Death Merchant” who was serving a federal prison sentence.
Brennan stated that CBS first learned about the upcoming swap on Thursday. “CBS News concurred that the Briner-for-Bout transfer, which we were aware was being… that we would not disclose the specifics.”
Thursday morning, Griner, a 32-year-old WNBA superstar, was released from US prison.
AP
Brennan stated, “This was done at the direction of the White House, which believed that the nascent agreement’s fragility might jeopardize the safety — or even endanger — those Americans.”
SPECIAL REPORT: According to a U.S. official, WNBA star Brittney Griner was released by Russia in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. https://t.co/7Nn4j0ryxH
— CBS News (8 December) (@CBSNews)
Gayle King, host of “CBS This Morning,” said to Brennan, “It’s very amazing, and we kept our word.”
Brennan stated that President Joe Biden “only last week authorized this trade.”
The White House issued a photograph of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Cherelle Griner’s wife in the Oval Office.
White House through Reuters
Brennan stated that a US government plane transporting Bout flew to the United Arab Emirates, which was a “agreed-upon neutral place.” Additionally, a Russian aircraft carrying Griner traveled to the UAE.
After a 10-month detention on drug charges, Griner was transferred to a US military installation to undergo medical evaluations.
Griner was sentenced to nine months in a Russian prison for narcotics possession.
According to Brennan, the potential prisoner swap has gained steam in recent weeks following a lengthy period of inactivity.
According to Brennan, the trade is a “one-for-one swap” that excludes Marine Corps veteran Paul Whelan, who remains imprisoned in Russia.
As part of the exchange, the United States agreed to release Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
As a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, US-Russian relations have reached their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
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