Celebrities React To Brittney Griner's Release From Russian Prison

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner was released from Russian prison early Thursday morning after the United States and Russia came to a one-on-one prisoner swap deal.

Griner, who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges, was released Thursday in exchange for Viktor Bout, who is known as the “Merchant of Death” and quickly became one of the world’s most wanted men after he sold arms to warlords and rogue governments.

The prisoner exchange with Griner and Bout was “completed successfully at Abu Dhabi Airport” on Thursday, state media added and Griner is currently on a plane back home to the United States.

Brittney Griner was in Russian prison for 294 days and celebrities were very vocal about bringing her home over these last few months. Now that the WNBA star is finally on a plane back to the United States, celebrities are speaking out about the one-on-one prisoner swap.

President Biden was the first to Tweet about Brittney Griner coming home, breaking the news. "Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner," he wrote. "She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home."

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1600841306560937986

Hilary Clinton also spoke out about the news, Tweeting, "Brittney Griner is coming home. Just incredibly good news. Thank you to President Biden and everyone in the administration who made this happen, as well as the advocates who pushed for it."

https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1600847207476867072

American tennis player Billie Jean King chimed in, "Brittney Griner is free! After 294 days in Russian captivity, @POTUS negotiated a "one-for-one" prisoner swap. Thank you to President Biden, and to all those who worked so hard to secure her freedom."

https://twitter.com/BillieJeanKing/status/1600842280193216515

Brooklyn & Queens Congressman Hakeem Jeffries also spoke out about Griner's release. "Thankful that Brittney Griner is free and on the way home," he wrote. "President Biden gets it done. Again."

https://twitter.com/RepJeffries/status/1600851828530614272

Rachel Bush, wife of NFL's Jordan Poyer, was not happy about the one-on-one prisoner exchange as she expressed, "So let me get this straight. We are sending billions to Ukraine for their war, however we just traded the 'merchant of death' Russian arms dealer back to Russia DURING their war with Ukraine in exchange for a basketball player. Does that even SOUND RIGHT TO YOU?!"

https://twitter.com/rachel__bush/status/1600876052905365506?s=21

Micah Parsons, NFL defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, first reTweeted President Biden's Tweet about Griner, sayng, "We still not voting for you !," but then followed up by showing support that Griner is back home, but clarifying he is upset that Paul Whelan is still in Russia.

"My last tweet was no shot at Brittney Griner. I’m super happy she’s back home as she should be," he said. "I just have family who have served and it’s crazy to me the President wouldn’t bring him home too. I’m the furthest thing from a trump supporter but I’m not a fan of Biden either."

https://twitter.com/MicahhParsons11/status/1600861254737809408

Brittney Griner was in Russian prison for 294 days.

Paul Whelan, another American who is currently in Russian prison, was not a part of the swap, but Biden said he will continue working to bring Whelan back home. This is something Brittney Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, said would be her and Brittney’s mission as well moving forward.

Whelan is a former U.S. Marine was arrested at a Moscow hotel in December 2018. He was convicted in June 2020 on “espionage charges that the U.S. government says were manufactured,” per the New York Times.

David Whelan, Paul’s brother, spoke out about Griner’s release, writing to the New York Times “There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed and for them to go home. The Biden administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn’t going to happen.”