Former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post about Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, currently jailed in Russia, sparked a wave of backlash on Thursday. Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023, accused of espionage by Russia’s Federal Security Service, and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. U.S. officials and journalists have called for his release, though no trial date has been set.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, posted early Thursday that Gershkovich would be released “almost immediately after the Election” if he wins in November. He claimed, “Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, will do that for me, but not for anyone else, and WE WILL BE PAYING NOTHING!”
The post ignited outrage on social media. Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance criticized Trump’s assertion that Putin would release Gershkovich specifically for him, suggesting Putin’s actions would serve his own interests and harm America. Attorney Aaron Parnas and professor Anthony Michael Kreis also condemned the post, with Kreis arguing it could decrease the chances of Gershkovich’s release before the election.
Some, however, defended Trump. Craig Chamberlin dismissed the backlash, claiming that legal accusations against Trump have lost credibility.
Russian Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded, stating that “Putin has no contacts with Donald Trump,” according to Russian state media Tass.
In April, Trump told Time magazine he believes Gershkovich should be released, expressing doubt about his release under President Biden. Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has also called for Gershkovich’s release, emphasizing the administration’s ongoing efforts to secure his freedom. Biden highlighted the importance of journalism in exposing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
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