This might sound like an impossible notion at first glance, but please hear this out. Someone just suggested there’s a silver lining to be found in the imbalanced prisoner swap that President Joe Biden and his administration made with Russian President Vladimir Putin–and that redounds in a positive way for both the United States and former President Donald Trump. (You’ve read the headline, so who that person is–JD Vance, the vice presidential nominee for Republican–is no great mystery. More on his quote in a minute.)
As we wrote earlier on Thursday, the deal that sees two Americans regaining their freedom involved more than just Americans and Russians, but prisoners from other nations, as well. But it allowed dangerous and violent Russian criminals to go free.
Background: Russia Releases Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan As Part of Massive Prisoner Exchange
On Thursday morning, Trump took to his Truth Social account, and noted this is not close to a good deal for our side:
“So when are they going to release the details of the prisoner swap with Russia? How many people do we get versus them? Are we also paying them cash? Are they giving us cash (Please withdraw that question, because I’m sure the answer is NO)?” the former president asked in his post.
“Are we releasing murderers, killers, or thugs? Just curious because we never make good deals, at anything, but especially hostage swaps,” Trump added.
The former president continued, saying that giving an opposing country cash is a “bad precedent for the future.”
“They are extorting the United States of America. They’re calling the trade ‘complex’ – That’s so nobody can figure out how bad it is!” he wrote.
Later on, my colleague Mike Miller wrote about Trump’s VP nominee’s visit to the Southern border in the Copper state on Thursday, after an energizing rally Wednesday night in suburban Glendale, Arizona.
Read more:
WATCH: JD Vance Energizes Rallygoers During Western Trail Swing to Glendale, Arizona
WATCH: JD Vance Visits Southern Border, Calmly Blisters ‘Border Czar’ Kamala Harris
Now, Vance says that this transaction bringing Americans home from captivity by Russia is actually a plus for the U.S., and naturally, Trump, because of what it says about the level of trepidation foreign leaders like Putin have about the former president returning to the White House in the election.
The remarks came during an interview with CNN, while Vance was reviewing the conditions at the border. Vance told CNN:
“We certainly want these Americans to come back home. It was ridiculous that they were in prison to begin with,” Vance said.
“But we have to ask ourselves: Why are they coming home? And I think it’s because bad guys all over the world recognize Donald Trump’s about to be back in office, so they’re cleaning house,” he said. “That’s a good thing, and I think it’s a testament to Donald Trump’s strength.”
Notice CNN does not appear all that happy about having to report on this view from Vance, choosing as its headline on the story: “JD Vance credits Trump for prisoner swap Biden negotiated.” They even tried to ask the White House about Vance’s remarks, to which Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan retorted, “I don’t follow,” per The Hill story (linked above).
You almost feel bad for the legacy media–and CNN in particular–until you remember in a millisecond that it’s CNN, a network in such disrepair in the ratings that it can’t stop stepping on its own feet. Good to see that state of normalcy continue here.
