Outside the Beltway

Trump Lies About Hostage Release Record

Or more charitably, forgets due to cognitive decline

Matt Bernius · Friday, August 2, 2024 · 6 comments

As we covered yesterday, the Biden administration, working with the governments of Germany, Poland, Norway, and Slovenia, secured the release of 16 Russian prisoners in exchange for 8 Russian nationals being held across the partner countries. From a US perspective, the release included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and ex-marine Paul Whelan. The other Russian releases include supporters of the late Anti-Putin leader Alexei Navalny. Originally the hopes were this trade (which has been in the works for years) would also include Navalny. Sadly, he was killed (intentionally or unintentionally) by the Russian government this past February while in confinement.

As predicted in yesterday’s article, generally speaking, everyone was happy about this trade, with one major exception: former President Donald Trump. As a reminder, Trump had made Gershkovich’s release a campaign promise, claiming he was the only person who could bring him home. Given that Gershkovich is home before the election, Trump predictable turned his attention to the specifics of the deal, posting on Truth Social:

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)? Are we releasing murderers, killers, or thugs? Just curious because we never make good deals, at anything, but especially hostage swaps. Our “negotiators” are always an embarrassment to us! I got back many hostages, and gave the opposing Country NOTHING – and never any cash. To do so is bad precedent for the future. That’s the way it should be, or this situation will get worse and worse. 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!

The press took this claim up, and Biden was asked about it during the press conference about the release:

CNN, among others, looked at Trump’s claim and for it to be… get this… a lie (or perhaps, due to age and cognitive decline, he simply forgot the aspects of eight major hostage exchanges that happened while he was President). Again here was Trump’s key claims:

1. “I got back many hostages, and gave the opposing Country NOTHING – and never any cash.”
2. By “NOTHING,” beyond cash, Trump asked: “Are we releasing murderers, killers, or thugs?”

CNN found the following:

Though Trump obtained or helped to obtain the release of some Americans held abroad without having to release anyone in return, he also presided over at least four exchanges in which he approved the release of prisoners from US detention in exchange for foreign governments releasing Americans.

First, let me call out that Trump does have a little bit of wiggle room by saying he got back “many” hostages and gave the opposing country “NOTHING.” By many, he means three who were gotten back largely through diplomacy and no known public concessions: Josh Holt (Venezuela), Bryan Nerren (India), and Danny Burch (Yemen).

However, Trump failed to mention that, throughout his administration, most hostage releases included prisoner release concessions to other governments (or quasi-governments). Here is a break down from CNN of the six releases that involved prisoner swaps:

A 2019 exchange with Iran [1 American released – mb]

In 2019, the Trump administration secured the release of Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University PhD student who had been imprisoned in Iran since 2016, by agreeing to free an Iranian medical scientist who had been charged with trying to export biological materials from the US to Iran without authorization.

Trump acknowledged at the time that this was a prisoner exchange, telling reporters in 2019: “Yeah, we’re very happy to have our hostage back. The whole Princeton University community is very thrilled. And there was a one-on-one hostage swap.”

Federal prosecutors also dropped charges against the Iranian scientist’s two co-defendants soon after the prisoner exchange.

A 2019 exchange with the Taliban [2 Americans released – mb]

In 2019, three high-ranking Taliban prisoners, who had been imprisoned by the government of Afghanistan, were released in exchange for the Taliban freeing two professors, American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, who were abducted in 2016. Trump and the president of Afghanistan made clear that the Trump administration was involved in the deal; Trump wrote on social media when the deal was announced: “Proud of my team!”

A 2020 exchange with Iran [1 American released – mb]

In 2020, the Trump administration secured the release of Navy veteran Michael White, who had been imprisoned in Iran since 2018, by agreeing to free an Iranian-American doctor who had pleaded guilty to violating US sanctions on Iran by trying to export a medical device there without authorization.

Trump wrote on social media at the time: “Thank you to Iran, it shows a deal is possible!”

A 2020 exchange with the Iran-backed Houthis [2 Americans released – mb]

In 2020, the Trump administration secured the release of two Americans who were imprisoned by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, aid worker Sandra Loli and businessman Mikael Gidada, in exchange for the release of more than 200 Houthi militants who were being held in Oman. Those Houthis were allowed to return to Yemen.

So we have six releases where there clearly were trades for prisoners (vs four that didn’t feature trades). That brings us to the case of American pastor Andrew Brunson:

Trump said in August 2018 that he had personally gotten Israel to free a Turkish citizen who had been charged with aiding Hamas as part of an attempted arrangement in which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoganwould release American pastor Andrew Brunson.

Erdogan did not do so immediately, prompting Trump to criticize him. Erdogan released Brunson in October 2018.

Ultimately, to secure Brunson’s release, the US imposed sanctions and tariffs on Turkey and specific leaders. The sanctions were lifted upon his release. If the US had only used sanctions, I would have placed Brunson in the “Win” category. However, given that Trump himself claimed that he secured the release of a Turkish Prisoner from an ally nation, I think it has to fall in the “gave NOT NOTHING” column. So far, it’s seven to four in terms of giving something.

That gets us to Trump’s question: “Are we releasing murderers, killers, or thugs?” The implication is this is bad. I also think we can safely say Trump is suggesting he’d never do that. But what does the record say?

I think the two Iranians, both charged with export crimes, are safe “no’s.” However, I don’t think the same can be said for the other 200+ releases. Most of those were Houthi rebels who were accused of engaging in the ongoing Yemen civil war. The Houthis are a Shia Islamist political and military organization with ties by Iran. We can assume there are at least a few bad eggs in there. And then we have the three Taliban releases:

One of the Taliban prisoners is Anas Haqqani, who is the brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani – deputy leader of the group and leader of the Haqqani Network. Two other senior commanders, Haji Mali Khan and Abdul Rashid, are part of the deal.

Those don’t seem like great guys either. And again, Trump also claimed that he got Israel to release a Turkish national who was associated with Hamas. I realize it’s guilt by association, but in today’s climate if someone wants to argue that a Hamas supporter isn’t a bad guy go for it!

(Countdown to a comment whatabouting liberals’ support of anti-Israel campus protests as proof of… something?!… in 3, 2, …)

BTW, this isn’t an attack on trading “bad guys.” A key sticking point in the negotiations for the current release was getting the German Government to release Russian Hitman Vadim Krasikov. Without a doubt we gave up more than one “bad guy” in this trade. The issue was Trump’s implication that he wouldn’t do that, when, in fact he had.

Also, it turns out that Trump was lying when he said he’d “never [give] any cash.” Remember the case of American Otto Warmbier, a college student who died shortly after being returned home, comatose, from 17 months in a North Korean prison? It turns out that Trump approved the payment of a $2 million bill presented by North Korea to the US to cover its “care” of Warbier. And this was explicitly done to gain his release:

The U.S. envoy, who was sent to retrieve Warmbier, signed an agreement to pay the medical bill on instructions passed down from Trump, the Post reported, citing two unidentified people familiar with the situation.

So, to review where things stand, out of the 12 hostage/prisoner releases during the Trump administration, eight (67%) involved giving NOT “NOTHING” to get the release. At least three of them involved handing over bad guys (murderers, killers, or thugs), and one definitely involved paying money.

If you want to go to the mat and say that 4 counts as “many” and that Trump is actually right, go for it.

I think for the rest of us, it’s another example of how either Trump is knowingly lying about his record or, due to age-related cognitive decline he no longer remembers what happened during his administration. Given recent behavior like getting confused about what race Dave McCormick is running in at a campaign rally two days ago, cognitive decline could be a good explanation (after all he is now the oldest person to continue running for President).

Former President Donald Trump appeared to tell a Harrisburg crowd that U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick (R) would be Pennsylvania’s “next Governor.”

“He’s tough too,” said Trump of McCormick. “He’s tough, he’s a great military hero.”

McCormick is making his second run for the U.S. Senate and is facing Democrat Bob Casey in the November general election.

“I have Mr. Governor, Mr. Future Governor,” Trump said later again during the event while pointing down at the crowd of lawmakers and politicians in front of him.