Donald Trump Blasts Brittney Griner for Bringing Drugs to Russia, Calls WNBA Star 'Spoiled'

By Joshua Summers First Posted: Aug 02, 2022 07:53 AM EDT

Former President Donald Trump slammed athlete Brittney Griner for bringing drugs to Russia and called the WNBA star "spoiled."

Trump made his comments during his recent interview on the "Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show" podcast when he was asked about Griner's detainment in Russia, according to TMZ.

Axios reported that Trump repeatedly said that Griner was "loaded up with drugs," and blamed the WNBA star for her detention.

"She went in there loaded up with drugs into a hostile territory where they're very vigilant about drugs. They don't like drugs, and she got caught," the former president said.

Trump noted that Griner knew drugs are not allowed in Russia, adding that the WNBA star admitted that.

"I assume she admitted it without too much force because it is what it is, and it certainly doesn't seem like a very good trade, does it?" Trump said.

Trump admitted that he disapproved of the Biden administration's plan to exchange Viktor Bout, a Russian weapons trafficker jailed in the U.S., for Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

"He's [Bout] absolutely one of the worst in the world and he's gonna be given his freedom because a potentially spoiled person goes into Russia loaded up with drugs," the former president said.

Trump then added that the Russian man, known as the "Merchant of Death," has killed "many Americans" and "many people."

"She went in there loaded up with drugs into a hostile territory where they're very vigilant about drugs. They don't like drugs. And she got caught. And now we're supposed to get her out... for an absolute killer and one of the biggest arms dealers in the world," the former president said.

On Monday, U.S. Congressman Colin Allred blasted Donald Trump for his comments against Griner. Allred told "TMZ Live" that he thinks the former president has no idea what he's talking about.

He noted that this was not about Griner being "some kind of spoiled person, or trying to transport drugs or anything like that." Allred said that was "the Russian narrative" and "that's not the truth."

Biden Administration Seeking Prisoner Swap With Russia to Bring Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan Home

The Biden administration is looking to bring back home WNBA player Brittney Griner and U.S. citizen Paul Whelan through a prisoner exchange with Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the proposed deal at a news conference last month. Blinken said he plans to discuss the prisoner swap with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov "in the coming days." It will be their first encounter since the Ukraine invasion last February.

Blinken said he will be talking about the release of Whelan and Griner, who have been wrongfully detained and must be allowed to come home. The state secretary did not provide more details on the nature of the proposal.

However, he noted the possibility of a prisoner swap, which has been speculated since Griner's trial started. Blinken said the U.S. would like a response from Moscow that has expressed interest in releasing Viktor Bout.

Bout was sentenced to 25 years in prison in the U.S. in 2012 on charges of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organization.

Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, was arrested in Russia in 2018 and was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison on espionage charges.

Brittney Griner's Arrest

Brittney Griner has been held in Russia since February and is currently on trial on drug charges. Authorities in Russia claimed she had cannabis oil in her luggage.

The WNBA star had pleaded guilty to the charge, acknowledging in court that she had vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage when she arrived in Moscow to play basketball in Russia.

However, she said that she had no criminal intent and had accidentally packed the cartridges. Griner explained that she had a doctor's recommendation for it and had packed it up in a hurry. The WNBA star is facing up to 10 years in prison if convicted of transporting drugs.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

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