Donald Trump has zero sympathy for Brittney Griner. The basketball star, currently imprisoned in Russia after authorities arrested her with hashish oil vape cartridges in her luggage, faces a lengthy prison sentence.
Trump was interviewed for The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show from his Bedminster golf club. The venue hosted a tournament for the Saudia Arabia-backed LIV golfing organization over the weekend.
The podcast hosts asked him about talk of a proposed prisoner swap. There is speculation WBNA star Griner and another detained US citizen, Paul Whelan, might be exchanged for a Russian prisoner in the US: arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Related: Brittney Griner may be released, but at a price that has some people worried
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Trump slammed the idea, blasting Grinner as “spoiled” and saying she turned up in Russia “loaded up with drugs.”
“She went in there loaded up with drugs into a hostile territory where they’re very vigilant about drugs,” Trump said. “They don’t like drugs. And she got caught. And now we’re supposed to get her out — and she makes, you know, a lot of money, I guess.
“We’re supposed to get her out for an absolute killer and one of the biggest arms dealers in the world. Killed many Americans. Killed many people. And he’s gonna get a free card and we’re gonna get her.
“She knew you don’t go in there loaded up with drugs, and she admitted it.
“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? He’s 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.”
Brittney Griner: Arrest and detainment
Russian officials detained Griner, who played basketball in the country for part of the year, when she arrived at a Moscow airport in February.
At a court appearance last month, Griner pleaded guilty to the charges of having drugs.
Griner says she did not mean to leave the cartridges in her bag and “unintentionally” took them to Russia.
She potentially faces up to ten years in prison.
A statement from her lawyers at the time of her court appearance said, “Considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance and BG’s personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence.”
Related: Megan Rapinoe gives powerful speech calling for Brittney Griner’s return home
Mister P
This from a man who tells his straight white males friends to commit any crimes they want and he will pardon them.
Of course he hates a successful black lesbian woman.
LumpyPillows
Trump comes across as even more confused as normal. He also looks terrible. I think all of this is draining him. Good.
He does make a point, poorly, that Brittney Griner appears to be receiving preferred, rich-famous-entitled treatment. There is some support for this conclusion. What he misses is that the Russians are being vindictive and are definitely using her as a pawn in a bigger struggle.
woodroad34
What he also misses is that he’s a rich spoiled punk…that totally expects to be able to do whatever he wants and not face any kind of recriminations. He literally a fat pot calling someone black. He wishes he could get some kind of preferential treatment for the crimes he’s committed–which, btw, are numerous and more violent and egregious than merely an empty cannabis oil vial
abfab
It should been this fat POS falling down the grand staircase and not Ivana. I wish he would just croak already.
kitten6126
Totally agree with you, Cadet Bone Spurs is a freaking terrorist and they’re going to let this obese orange pus bag run for president again and screw up the country even more than he did the last time???? What a country.
abfab
It’s you that wouldn’t be worth it.
Jim
She wasn’t kind of famous until after she was arrested.
Before that few very few people had heard of her.
dgsea06
What national security risk?
HowDemApples
@dgsea06 trading an arms dealer for her release.
abfab
Apples, chances are there are dozens of arms dealers in your neck of the woods, Anytown, USA
Fahd
The tangerine palpatine is throwing a bone to his base, which includes a large number of racist homophobes. No surprise. When the college basketball player LeAangelo Bell got arrested in China for shoplifting, Tr**p pulled every diplomatic lever to get him out of the jam. Better celebrity connections? I’m shocked at the hypocrisy, not.
Kangol2
You know it! Then again, Don the Con had (has?) a secret bank account in China, so who knows what else was involved that benefited his treasonous, oafish @ss in the process!
MickeyMoose
Trump’s scumbaggery notwithstanding – there’s no arguing THAT – when I was 20 I went to Europe to hitch-hike for 3 months – and it was abundantly clear to everyone not in a coma that you did NOT ever try to cross a border with pot, hash or any drug – yet the entitled somehow deduced that this caution did not apply to them for the sort of justifications only the entitled can come up with. As the train stopped after entering Spain, bags and knapsacks were searched and over a dozen (mostly Americans) were arrested on the spot. And this, children, was in 1969. Greiner “forgot” the same way the clowns who try to get though TSA “forgot” their loaded gun was in their carry-on. Trading this idiot for an arms dealer is fkking stupid.
Kangol2
Uh, Jim, you had never heard of her, but millions of people had. The woman was a high school and college star, and an Olympic gold medal winner. She also is one of the stars of the WNBA. I personally wish that she had had better advisement on what not to pack if traveling overseas, even if you are a local celebrity, particularly when your home country and the country you’re traveling in are in a state of heightened conflict approximating a war. The other point I have been thinking about is that it is a shame that someone with her level of accomplishment and talent still most go overseas to play what amounts to an extra season just to make a sliver of what men competing at the professional level in her sport are making. I hope the deal works out and she, the ex-marine guy and the teacher trapped over there can all come home.
Kangol2
Brittney Griner was a high school and college star, and is a two-time Olympic gold medal winner. She also is one of the stars of the WNBA. I personally wish that she had had better advisement on what not to pack if traveling overseas, even if you are a local celebrity, particularly when your home country and the country you’re traveling in are in a state of heightened conflict approximating a war. The other point I have been thinking about is that it is a shame that someone with her level of accomplishment and talent still most go overseas to play what amounts to an extra season just to make a sliver of what men competing at the professional level in her sport are making. I hope the deal works out and she, the ex-marine guy and the teacher trapped over there can all come home.
Mack
I’m not saying what Griner did was right, it was a stupid move on her part not only for the drugs but even going to Russia after they’ve attack Ukraine. Trump made no effort to get out a military guy that held over there and Biden did. The arms guy will be caught again once he steps out of Russia, and he will step out of Russia and he will deal arms again.
ShiningSex
Trump loves Putin and again why do people i mean idiots support someone like that but calls democrats communists????
Someone please throw him under a bus. Do us all a favor, LOL!!!!!
MISTERJETT
because they think he’d would bring back slavery
johncp56
Karma if we ever needed you more now is the time! please
CNY1983
we used to have a saying a little while back: WHO ASKED YA FATSO??
woodroad34
It’s still a relevant saying.
humble charlie
it’s about time for drumpf to fake his death and disappear into the argentine jungle
Neoprene
Now there’s a plan. I’m in for $50.
peluzo
Argentine jungle?
Kangol2
Do you mean Brazilian rain forest or Argentine pampas?
MISTERJETT
someone needs to throw him under a bus – literally.
ta2t2o
Trump literally negotiated the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners AND agreed to give Afghanistan to the Taliban without getting anything in return. In fact, he then reduced the US troops in country to 2,500, leaving them more vulnerable to the Taliban.
MISTERJETT
and he played golf
Diplomat
I’m not a Trump fan by any means but who in the world is dumb enough to travel over any ANY border let alone Russia (HUGE red flag) with illegal street drugs?
“I forgot” is just beyond lame.
Neoprene
She’s a pro basketball player. Hope that helps.
Neoprene
I wouldn’t trade Griner for Viktor Bout but I’d give Russia the entire Trump clan for Griner, including that increasingly annoying and opportunistic Mary Trump.
Jimmynj
Pretty ironic, since Trump is the one who should be in prison now. Hope they lock him up soon.
Terrycloth
So she disrespects and talks crap about the US. Dosent stand for the flag..go to foreign country with strict drug laws with drugs admits it and wants to come home…you committed a felony do the time.US.wants to do prisoner swap..I thought we don’t swap for terrorist.. or deals with Putin..she wants to be like a man take your punishment like one..I’m sorry. She thinks she can do what she wants and our government, president will come to her rescue..she should have thought about her actions before taking that drug into Russia in the first place