U.S. Marine Detained in Russia; Family Says U.S. Pres. Joe Biden Won't Meet Them in Texas

U.S. Marine Trevor Reed has been detained in Russia, with his family calling for a demonstration in Texas outside U.S. President Joe Biden's upcoming speech in Fort Worth.

Reed's relatives said that the White House has declined a meeting with them during the trip, according to a The Hill news report.

Reed's father, Joey Reed, said in an interview that the White House cited schedule restraints in declining the meeting, with Biden scheduled to travel to Fort Worth to visit the local Veterans Affairs facility.

Biden will be talking about extending health care access for veterans affected by burn pit exposures during his address.

Reed's mother, Paula, said that it was devastating as they thought it would be the perfect opportunity to see the president and talk to him for a quick few minutes.

Paula said they were "pretty disappointed," according to a Dallas News report.

Joey said that their plan to demonstrate outside of Biden's site of the visit is "an act of desperation."

Reed's father said that Biden, like all presidents, is "heavily insulated by a staff." He added that their U.S. Marine son is seriously ill and that they need the president to bring him home.

U.S. Marine Detained in Russia

Reed is currently serving a sentence in a Russian prison for the alleged assault of two Moscow cops in 2019. He is reportedly "coughing up blood" and being denied medical access for tuberculosis, according to his parents.

Paula said that her son sounded terrible and had been coughing up blood every day, according to a Daily Mail report.

She added that their family wants Reed to get home before something bad really happens to the U.S. Marine.

Joey said they were surprised to hear from Reed, adding that it was 3 a.m. when he called, and they talked for around 15 to 20 minutes.

U.S. embassy officials revealed that Reed had prolonged exposure to another prisoner with active tuberculosis in December.

Reed also went on a six-day hunger strike in November to protest his treatment by Russian authorities.

U.S. Embassy spokesperson Jason P. Rebholz revealed at the time that the U.S. Marine has been coughing up blood and has not received medical care for it.

Rebholz then demanded that Kremlin give Reed the proper medical treatment and "better yet, release him."

The Reed family says they hope to share what they have learned about the current treatment of their son in the Russian camp with a personal meeting with the president.

Paula said they miss their son terribly and that Reed has been gone for too long. Reed's father noted then to "imagine your child being kidnapped" and what it would make a parent feel.

The Reeds have also disputed that the charges against Reed were bogus accusations created to "keep the U.S. citizen as a political bargaining chip."

Reed is currently detained in a cell in the penal colony in extremely poor conditions, according to his family.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: ‘Every year there is an eternity’: Trevor Reed’s father on Russian detention - from ABC News