Trump Strikes Secret Deal With Putin:
Former President Donald Trump has once again claimed that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich would be released from Russian detention if he were to be re-elected. Gershkovich, arrested in March 2023 on espionage charges, has been held in a Moscow prison for over a year without a trial date.
As reported by Raw Story on Tuesday, June 4, Trump’s recent remarks mark the second time in two weeks that he has suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin would free Gershkovich as a personal favor if Trump wins the election.
In a video statement posted on Truth Social, Trump confidently asserted that Gershkovich’s release was imminent, saying, “Evan Gershkovich, the reporter from The Wall Street Journal who is being held by Russia, will be released almost immediately after the election, but definitely before I assume office.
He will be home, he will be safe. Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, will do that for me, and I don’t believe he’ll do it for anyone else, and we will be paying nothing. Biden likes to pay massive numbers. We will be paying nothing.”
Trump’s comments have sparked significant criticism, with many accusing him of using Gershkovich’s situation for political leverage. Trevor Reed, a Marine Corps veteran who was detained in Russia and released in a 2022 prisoner swap after nearly three years, strongly rebuked Trump’s claims.
“As a former wrongful detainee in Russia, I would just like to remind everyone that President Trump had the ability to get myself and Paul Whelan out of Russia for years and chose not to,” Reed stated. The sincerity of Trump’s pledge to secure Gershkovich’s release has been questioned, with critics pointing out inconsistencies in his video statement.
The camera angle shifts midway through the 30-second clip, suggesting it may have been filmed in multiple takes and then edited together. This has sparked speculation about the authenticity of Trump’s promise and whether it was a calculated political move.
Anthony Michael Kreis, a constitutional law professor and political scientist at Georgia State University College of Law, criticized Trump’s approach, suggesting it could backfire. “Trump – in his infinite stupidity – has, by some measure, probably decreased the chance Putin will release Evan Gershkovich before the election now. What a fool,” Kreis commented.
The ongoing detention of Evan Gershkovich highlights the dangerous conditions journalists face in hostile environments and the difficulties in securing their release. With Trump’s comments adding complexity to the situation, Gershkovich’s fate remains uncertain.
As political rhetoric intensifies, the focus shifts from diplomatic efforts to the exploitation of international crises for domestic political gain. Whether Trump’s assurances hold any substance or are merely empty promises remains to be seen, leaving Gershkovich and his loved ones in limbo as they await resolution.
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