CBS News had former Trump official John Bolton on to discuss Biden’s prisoner swap today of WNBA player Brittney Griner for Terrorist Merchant of Death Viktor Bout and he called it a “very bad mistake” and a “surrender”.
In fact he called it a victory for “Moscow over Washington” and suggested that this move will endanger Americans in the future as “terrorists and rogue states all around the world take note of this.”
But there’s something else Bolton reveals in this interview that I thought was absolutely worth highlighting.
The 1-for-1 swap of Brittney Griner + Viktor Bout between the U.S. and Russia was a "very bad mistake," former Trump admin. National Security Adviser @AmbJohnBolton says, calling it a "victory for Moscow over Washington…It endangers other Americans.” pic.twitter.com/TdeWDQaBVL
— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) December 8, 2022
Bolton pointed out that after Whelen was arrested in Russia in late 2018, there was a potential prisoner swap that could have been made using Viktor Bout. But he says didn’t happen:
I really can’t get into specifics but I’ll just note that Paul Whelan, who was likewise set up by the Russians back in late 2018 – so when I was at the White House – is still in custody. And I’ll just note a historical fact that the possibility of a Bout for Whalen trade existed back then and it wasn’t made for very good reasons having to deal with Viktor Bout.
This is a huge victory for Moscow over Washington and it’s the kind of thing that says to terrorists in rogue states and other malign actors who would consider kidnapping and seizing Americans that we’re willing to trade almost anything to get Americans back. There are other ways to deal with hostage takes through sanctions and other things. Not swaps like this one.
Bolton suggests Trump could have gotten Paul Whalen back with the same trade for Viktor Bout. But because Bout is such a terrible terrorist and criminal, they just refused to do it on I’m sure very moral grounds.
In other words, it was better to let a retired Marine who loves America stay in Russia prisons unjustly than to release the ‘Merchant of Death’ Vitkor Bout. And Biden just traded him for a basketball player who hates America.
Lastly, I’ll just note that when John Bolton isn’t obsessing over Trump he’s very easy to listen to, just like old times.