Brittney Griner's wife stated on Tuesday that the president has still not reacted to the handwritten letter the basketball player delivered to him on July 4 while being held in Russia.
Texas native and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner has been held in custody in Russia since February on suspicion of possessing cannabis. Her trial started on Friday and will continue on Thursday.
Brittney Griner's Wife Calls Out Biden
On Monday, Brittney Griner's representatives released portions of a letter she sent to President Joe Biden appealing with him to do more to facilitate her return to the United States. On Tuesday, Cherelle Griner claimed that her wife's decision to write to Biden was driven in part by "the failed attempts that we have had as a family" to lobby for Brittney Griner's release.
“That is actually the first confirmation we’ve gotten that President Biden has, in fact, received and read that handwritten letter.”@skcrawfordabc joins NBA Today with the latest on Brittney Griner. pic.twitter.com/b5jvhWO6qz
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 5, 2022
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at the White House press conference on Monday confirmed that Biden had read the letter from Griner. But when asked about his response, she did not comment. Biden has not talked with Griner or her family, and Jean-Pierre would not say whether he would. When asked why he hadn't, Jean-Pierre responded, "this has been on top of mind for the president," according to Politico.
The Biden administration "continues to work actively - using all possible means - to bring Brittney Griner home," according to a statement from National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson, which the White House issued in response to Cherelle Griner's comments.
Reporters at the White House briefing compared Griner's situation to that of former US marine Trevor Reed, who, in a prisoner swap in April, was freed from Russian custody. Jean-Pierre declined to comment when asked if a similar approach might be utilized this time, citing security policy on such matters.
White House in "Constant Communication" With Griner's Wife
The athlete's wife of three years also disclosed that she recently broached the subject of Brittney's mental health with her after witnessing a disturbing image of her appearing delirious in court.
Per NY Post, Cherelle recalled Brittney telling her that she was "startled" to turn a corner at the courthouse and come face to face with hundreds of media because she felt "very weak" at that very time. She was "not insane, not yet," the WNBA athlete reassured her wife.
The US administration claimed that Griner's incarceration was a Kremlin political maneuver; however, Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, refuted that claim on Friday.
Russian news outlets have frequently suggested that Griner may be exchanged for Russian weapons dealer Viktor Bout, sometimes known as "The Merchant of Death," who is now serving a 25-year term for conspiring to kill Americans and aiding a terrorist group.
Griner's wife and family are in "constant communication" with the White House, most recently with national security advisor Jake Sullivan and secretary of state Antony Blinken, according to Jean-Pierre, who underlined that Griner is being "wrongfully detained."
Griner is currently involved in a trial that started on Friday and will decide her future. Fewer than 1% of defendants in criminal cases in Russia are found not guilty, and unlike in American courts, acquittals can be reversed, as per Fox News.
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