
White House ‘not going to apologize’ for releasing Merchant of Death as critics rail 'bad deal'
Fox News
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says the Biden administration makes "no apologies" for exchanging Merchant of Death Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner.
"This was someone who had conspired to sell AK-47s that he knew would have been used to kill Americans--American drug agents. Law enforcement officials may not be happy with his release. What is the president's message to them and to other who say essentially that this was a bad deal?" a reporter asked. Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
Jean-Pierre acknowledged that immediate results in prisoner exchanges can feel "unfair or arbitrary," but ultimately defended the White House decision.