Former President Donald Trump said that he had previously rejected Russia’s attempts to trade “Merchant of Death” arms dealer Viktor Bout for former US Marine Paul Whelan.
— insisting he would never free someone who has “killed untold numbers.”
“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 insisted on Truth Social that he would never had freed someone who has “killed untold numbers.”In the wake of the high-profile swap, Trump immediately lashed out at the Biden administration, saying Whelan — who has been detained in Russia on espionage charges since 2018 — should have been sent back to the US instead of Griner.
Even though he shot down the Whelan-Bout swap during his time in the White House, Trump insisted Sunday that he still “would have gotten Paul out.”
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